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, Saturday October 1894, James Anthony Froude, English historian, died (b. 1818)
On 20, Friday October 1944, WWII: Belgrade is liberated by Yugoslav Partisans together with the Bulgarian Army and the Red Army. Nedić’s regime was disbanded by the Yugoslav Partisans and the Red Army after they takeover Belgrade.
On 20, Friday October 1944, American forces land on Red Beach in Palo, Leyte, as General Douglas MacArthur returns to the Philippines with Philippine Commonwealth president Sergio Osmeña, and Armed Forces of the Philippines Generals Basilio J. Valdes and Carlos P. Romulo.
On 20, Friday October 1944, United States and Filipino troops with Filipino guerrillas begin the Battle of Leyte.
On 20, Friday October 1944, American forces land on the beaches in Dulag, Leyte, the Philippines, accompanied by Filipino troops entering the town, and fiercely opposed by the Japanese occupation forces. The combined forces liberate Tacloban
On 20, Friday October 1944, Clive Hornby, English actor, born (d. 2008)
On 20, Friday October 1944, Eduard Brücklmeier, German diplomat and resistance member, died (b. 1903)
On 20, Friday October 1944, Hermann Maaß, German politician and resistance member, died (b. 1897)
On 20, Friday October 1944, Adolf Reichwein, German politician and resistance member, died (b. 1898)
On 20, Tuesday October 1959, Hotman Paris Hutapea, Indonesian lawyer, born
On 20, Tuesday October 1959, Werner Krauss, German actor, died (b. 1884)
On 20, Monday October 1969, Laurie Daley, rugby league football commentator and former player, born
On 20, Monday October 1969, Laurie Daley, Australian rugby league player, born
On 20, Monday October 1969, Juan González, American baseball player, born
On 20, Saturday October 1979, Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser proclaims the first section of the Great Barrier Reef (the Capricornia section) a national park, making it the third Australian national park to be declared this year. Malcolm Fraser also announces the allocation of $300,000 to research projects to be set up in the region to increase the Federal Government’s knowledge of this area.
On 20, Saturday October 1979, Tim Neesham, water polo player, born
On 20, Saturday October 1979, The first McDonald’s in Singapore opens at Liat Towers in Orchard Road.
On 20, Saturday October 1979, John Krasinski, American actor, born
On 20, Saturday October 1979, Paul O’Connell, Irish rugby union player, born
On 20, Friday October 1989, Grafton bus crash: 21 people are killed and 22 are injured when a tourist bus collides with a semi-trailer on the Pacific Highway near Grafton.
On 20, Friday October 1989, Jess Glynne, British singer, born
On 20, Friday October 1989, Dahn Ben-Amotz, Israeli journalist and author, died (b. 1924)
On 20, Friday October 1989, Sir Anthony Quayle, British actor, died (b. 1913)
On 20, Friday October 1989, Manuel Gregorio Acosta, Mexican-born American painter, died (b. 1921)
On 20, Thursday October 1994, ARL chairman Ken Arthurson warns the Broncos that they face expulsion over their involvement with Super League
On 20, Thursday October 1994, Corey Oates, rugby league player, born
On 20, Thursday October 1994, Sergei Bondarchuk, Russian film director, died (b. 1920)
On 20, Thursday October 1994, Burt Lancaster, American actor, died (b. 1913)
On 20, Wednesday October 1999, Jack Lynch, Taoiseach of Ireland, died (b. 1917)
On 20, Monday October 2014, David Malcolm, 76, Chief Justice of Western Australia (1988–2006), died
On 20, Monday October 2014, Oscar de la Renta, Dominican-American fashion designer, died (b. 1932)

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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