ON THIS DAY

1869

The largest alluvial gold nugget in history, called the “Welcome Stranger” and weighing 97.14kg, is found in Moliagul, Victoria, Australia.

The first motion picture shown to a theater audience, Philadelphia.

King Leopold II of Belgium establishes the Congo (and all who live in it) as a personal colonial possession.

British General Sir Redvers Buller conquers Vaalkrans at the Tugela river, but shelling from both sides continues and his forces have to evacuate their positions two days later.

General Louis Botha leaves for South West Africa to take control of the Union troops who would conquer the area from Germany.

Generalísimo Francisco Franco becomes the leader of Spain, following the Spanish Civil War.

Allied forces begin the Battle of Keren to capture Keren, Eritrea.

1958 Gamal Abdel Nasser is nominated to be the first president of the United Arab Republic, (Egypt).

A hydrogen, bomb known as the Tybee Bomb, is lost by the US Air Force off the coast of Savannah, Georgia, never to be recovered.

Off-spinner John Traicos makes his Test debut for South Africa against, in Australia, Durban. He one of a small number of cricketers to have played at the highest level for more than one country; Zimbabwe was the other.

The comic strip “Hagar The Horrible” by Dik Browne makes its debut.

Union leader Dr Neil Aggett allegedly commits suicide in detention by “hanging himself” with a scarf.

Former Nazi Gestapo official Klaus Barbie, aka”The Butcher of Lyon”, is brought to trial

Six ANC members are gunned down by a group of men in Folweni, Natal.

The Goldstone Commission of Inquiry has its first hearing on the South African Defence Force’s involvement in promoting Black on Black violence.

Computer hackers try to steal $1 billion from Federal Reserve Bank of New York using Bangladesh banking codes.They manage to get $81 million before a typo alerts authorities. | The Historian

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