ON THIS SUNDAY
1485: The Battle of Bosworth Field was fought in Leicestershire and Richard III was butchered as he vainly tried to reach the usurper Henry Tudor. He was the third King Richard to die by violent means and cautious monarchs have avoided the name since.
1642: The Civil War in England began, between the supporters of Charles I (Royalists or Cavaliers) and of Parliament (Roundheads), when the King raised his standard at Nottingham. 1862: Composer Claude Debussy was born in St Germain-en-Laye, France. 1922: Michael Collins, Irish politician and evolutionary, was assassinated by extremist Republicans in an ambush in Ireland.
1960: Beyond The Fringe, one of the most influential satirical revues staged in Britain, opened in Edinburgh. 1962: Fifteen terrorists attacked General de Gaulle in the 22nd of 31 attempts on his life. Despite being sprayed with a volley of 150 shots, the General was only superficially cut by flying glass. 1989: Lord Hill of Luton, BBC’s Radio Doctor who gave medical advice to families in the Second World War, died aged 85.
2004: Edvard Munch’s iconic painting The Scream was stolen at gun point from the Munch Museum in Norway. ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Victor, the country’s oldest polar bear who lived at Yorkshire wildlife park, had died aged 22.