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 17, Friday September 1869, Christian Lous Lange, Norwegian pacifist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, born (d. 1938)
On 17, Wednesday September 1919, German South West Africa is placed under South African administration.
On 17, Sunday September 1944, WWII: Operation Market Garden begins, Allied airborne landings in the Netherlands and Germany.
On 17, Sunday September 1944, Reinhold Messner, Italian mountaineer, born
On 17, Thursday September 1959, The first Navy Navigation Satellite System Transit 1A is launched but fails to reach orbit.
On 17, Thursday September 1959, The hypersonic North American X-15 research vehicle, piloted by Scott Crossfield, makes its first powered flight at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
On 17, Thursday September 1959, Charles Lawson, Irish actor, born
On 17, Thursday September 1959, Jack Llewelyn Davies, one of the ‘Lost Boys’ for the Peter Pan book, died (b. 1894)
On 17, Wednesday September 1969, Ken Doherty, Irish snooker player, born
On 17, Wednesday September 1969, Matthew Settle, American actor, born
On 17, Monday September 1979, Chris Minns, politician, born
On 17, Monday September 1979, Akin Ayodele, American football player, born
On 17, Monday September 1979, Chuck Comeau, Canadian drummer, born
On 17, Monday September 1979, Paul Maze, Anglo-French painter, died (b. 1887)
On 17, Sunday September 1989, Six people die in the Downunder Hostel fire in Sydney’s Kings Cross.
On 17, Sunday September 1989, (17–22) Hurricane Hugo devastates the Caribbean and the southeastern United States, causing at least 71 deaths and $8,000,000,000 in damages.
On 17, Sunday September 1989, Hugh Quincy Alexander, American politician, died (b. 1911)
On 17, Sunday September 1989, Sir Richard Hull, British field marshal, died (b. 1907)
On 17, Sunday September 1989, Steven Stayner, American kidnapping victim, died (b. 1965)
On 17, Saturday September 1994, Vitas Gerulaitis, American tennis player, died (b. 1954)
On 17, Saturday September 1994, Karl Popper, Austrian-British philosopher, died (b. 1902)
On 17, Friday September 1999, Daniel Huttlestone, English actor, born
On 17, Friday September 1999, Frankie Vaughan, British singer, died (b. 1928)
On 17, Thursday September 2009, Virginia Chadwick, 64, politician, died
On 17, Thursday September 2009, Noordin Mohammad Top, Malaysian Islamist militant, died (b. 1968)
On 17, Wednesday September 2014, Queensland Treasurer Tim Nicholls announces that the Queensland Government is looking at potentially leasing ports, power stations and distribution assets, for periods of 50 to 99 years as an alternative to selling those assets.
On 17, Wednesday September 2014, Elaine Lee, 74, actress (Number 96), died
On 17, Wednesday September 2014, Sir Charles Read, 95, air force officer, RAAF Air Marshal during World War II, died
On 17, Wednesday September 2014, Lorna Thomas, 96, Australian cricket player and manager, died
On 17, Wednesday September 2014, Andriy Husin, Ukrainian footballer and manager, died (b. 1972)
Other On This Day days in history
Neville Buch