THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

On the 5th inst. there was again great activity in the air. The enemy on several occasions interrupted the work of our artillery machines and attacked our aeroplanes employed on long-distance bombing raids. A few bombs were dropped behind our lines by hostile machines during the night, little damage being done. During the day our machines dropped eight bombs on sidings near Ghent, five on a large shed at Maubeuge, 54 on billets round Douai and 61 on various other targets.

50 years ago

A four-ton elephant died mysteriously at London Zoo. A six tone crane was rushed to the zoo to lift the elephant, which had fallen into a dry moat surrounding the paddock. The elephant, named Diksi, was lifted from the moat, but appeared to have lost the use of her front left leg. Two hours later she died. Diksi fell, badly winding herself, and was unable to get back on to her feet. Everything possible was done to help her, with more than 30 members of the zoo staff giving assistance.

25 years ago

Bill Duff of Forfar will never forget the day that British cars brought a leading German motor factory to a standstill. It happened when 70 pre-war Austin 7s poured into the prime parking lot at the Mercedes factory at Stuttgart. “The factory must have come to a virtual standstill for a while with faces of workers at every window,” said Bill. One of three Scottish participants in the Austin Seven 1992 Eurotour to mark the 70th anniversary of the car, Bill and his wife Eileen visited seven countries.

One year ago

A brave teenager who lost a year of her life to cancer will help save others with the disease. Iona Sutherland was forced to endure months of chemotherapy after she was diagnosed with lifethreatening leukaemia at 12. The Kinross High pupil has spoken for the first time about her ordeal and how her life was saved thanks to a stem cell transplant from a stranger. The 14-year-old has been selected to help launch the Scottish leg of Channel 4’s Stand Up to Cancer campaign.