ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE JaNUaRy 2, 1945
LOndOn gave a terrific welcome last night to the first of the ‘d-day Leave’ men from the Western battle fronts. Eager crowds cheered as the ‘Blighty Express’ drew in at the terminus. Men and women climbed on to seats, ledges, porters’ trucks, milk churns — anywhere that they could get a view of the men.
JaNUaRy 2, 1996
AFTER more than 100 years of life-saving service, the last coalface canaries are being pensioned off. Modern technology and new laws governing safety in mines mean they are no longer needed to detect poisonous gas. Miners whose lives the little birds kept safe are expected to adopt the 80 or so canaries and finches left at the country’s remaining 40 pits.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
FRAncOiS PiEnAAR, 56. The South African rugby union star captained his team when they won the World cup in 1995 — in what was described as ‘the most influential match in rugby history’. in a hugely symbolic move, President nelson Mandela wore a Springboks shirt and cap. Pienaar said: ‘Looking back, 1995 became a story about us, new South Africa, finding its identity through sport.’ dAvid BAiLEy, 85. The
English photographer, who captured the Swinging Sixties, said: ‘Sometimes i dream with my eyes open and see extraordinary Goya-esque faces. i wish i could photograph them in my mind, or draw them.’
He has been married four times and says he was a terrible father: ‘The most i ever did for my children was to teach them chess. At least they got that.’
BORN ON THIS DAY
BEATRicE HickS (1919-1979). The U.S. inventor became the first president of the Society of Women Engineers. She invented a gas density sensor that was used in the ignition systems on the Saturn v rockets that launched the Apollo moon missions, as well as in Boeing 707 aircraft and to monitor nuclear weapons in storage. kAnE TAnAkA ( 1903
2022). The Japanese former florist died in Fukuoka in
April last year as the world’s oldest person at that time
(and the second oldest ever), aged 119 years and
107 days. She survived two
World Wars and two pandemics, and outlived all her five children.
ON JANUARY 2 . . .
IN 1967, former actor Ronald Reagan was sworn in as Governor of california.
IN 1980, 17,000 British Steel workers started a 13-week strike over pay.
WORD WIZARDRY GUESS THE DEFINITION: Ganache (early 19th century)
A) Padded fencing jacket.
B) A whipped frosting or filling made with chocolate and cream. c) A street brawl. answer below
PHRASE EXPLAINED Fourth Estate:
meaning the Press; in 1843 Lord Macaulay added this ‘Fourth Estate of the Realm’ to the three traditional ones (the crown, the House of Lords and the House of commons).
QUOTE FOR TODAY
WiNNiNG isn’t everything, but wanting to win is
Vince Lombardi, U.S. football coach (1913-1970)
JOKE OF THE DAY
WHAT do you call a locomotive with a cold? achoo choo train.
GUEss The Definition answer: B Compiled by ETAN SMALLMAN and ADAM JACOT DE BOINOD