Anniversaries and commemorations come and go daily. Most of us, even the best historians, miss most occasions. If we think of history as events then we are faced with a continually showering in the grains of sand. Nevertheless, we do pick out certain patterns in the remembrance of historical dates. The blog here reminds us of some dates where the local, state, national, and global perspectives entwine.

On 20, Monday December 1869, Charley Grapewin, American vaudeville performer, stage and film actor, born (d. 1956)
On 20, Thursday December 1894, Robert Menzies, born (died 1978), Prime Minister of Australia
On 20, Thursday December 1894, Robert Menzies, 12th Prime Minister of Australia, born (d. 1978)
On 20, Saturday December 1919, Sir Philip Fysh, died (born 1835), Premier of Tasmania (1877–1878, 1887–1892)
On 20, Wednesday December 1944, Ray Martin, television presenter, born. (60 Minutes, 1979–1985, A Current Affair, 1994–1998 & 2003–3005, Midday, 1985–1993)
On 20, Wednesday December 1944, The United States Women Airforce Service Pilots are disbanded.
On 20, Wednesday December 1944, Caesar von Hofacker, German resistance member, died (b. 1896)
On 20, Wednesday December 1944, Carl Wentzel, German resistance member, died (b. 1875)
On 20, Sunday December 1959, Stephen Chan Chi Wan, general manager of TVB, born
On 20, Saturday December 1969, Chisa Yokoyama, Japanese voice actress, born
On 20, Wednesday December 1989, The United States invasion of Panama (“Operation Just Cause”) is launched in an attempt to overthrow Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega.
On 20, Wednesday December 1989, Kurt Böhme, German bass, died (b. 1908)
On 20, Tuesday December 1994, Hans Herlin, German novelist, died (b. 1925)
On 20, Tuesday December 1994, Dean Rusk, American diplomat, died (b. 1909)
On 20, Monday December 1999, The sovereignty of Macau is transferred from the Portuguese Republic to the People’s Republic of China after 442 years of Portuguese settlement.
On 20, Monday December 1999, Migo Adecer, Filipino dancer and actor, born
On 20, Monday December 1999, Irving Rapper, American film director, died (b. 1898)
On 20, Sunday December 2009, Brittany Murphy, American actress, died (b. 1977)
On 20, Saturday December 2014, Queensland police arrest an Australian mother for murder in the stabbing deaths of eight children.

Other On This Day days in history

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Neville Buch

Professional Historian at Professional Historians Association (Queensland) Inc.

Neville Buch (Pronounced Book) Ph.D. is a certified member of the Professional Historians Association (Queensland). Since 2010 he has operated a sole trade business in history consultancy. He was a Q ANZAC 100 Fellow 2014-2015 at the State Library of Queensland. Dr Buch was the PHA (Qld) e-Bulletin, the monthly state association’s electronic publication, and was a member of its Management Committee. He is the Managing Director of the Brisbane Southside History Network.

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