Prof. Frank McDonough
@FXMC1957
Historian of Germany 1918-1945. I post facts that happened on This Day in History at 9:00 AM (BST). It’s a daily journey to inform, educate and entertain.
22 July 2025. Rock legend John Michael (“Ozzy”) Osbourne died (aged 76). He rose to fame during the early 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath and adopted the nickname “Prince of Darkness”. He also starred in the reality TV show The Osbournes.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. The first aerial photo of Stonehenge 📷 Lieutenant Philip Henry Sharpe (1906).
USA No.1 on this day in 1960: Brenda Lee - I'm Sorry youtu.be/r-TkjEdB1kE?si… via @YouTube
UK No.1 on this day in 1965: The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man youtu.be/sMW4kRDWiRA?si… via @YouTube
22 July 2013. Duchess of Cambridge (now Princess of Wales) gave birth to a boy (George Alexander Louis) who is now 2nd in line to the British throne. His father is Prince William, Prince of Wales, 1st in the line of succession.
22 July 2012. Bradley Wiggins (aged 32) became the 1st British cylist to win the Tour de France. He finished with a winning margin of 3 minutes and 21 seconds after ending Sunday's race around the streets of Paris in the peloton.
22 July 2009. The longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century (6 mins 38.8 seconds) occurred over parts of Asia and the Pacific. The longest total solar eclipse during the 21st century will be on 16 July 2186.
22 July 2005. Brazilian-born Charles de Menezes (aged 27) was shot dead by officers of the London Metropolitan Police Service at Stockwell station after he was wrongly identified as one of the fugitives involved in the previous day’s failed London bombing attempts.
22 July 2004. Popular French singer Sacha Distel died (aged 71). He was a regular on British TV variety shows in the 1960s and 1970s. His only UK Top 10 hit was Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head.
22 July 1965. BBC sitcom Till Death Us Do Part was broadcast for the 1st time as a pilot episode in the BBC drama series Comedy Playhouse. The full series ran from 6 June 1966 to 16 December 1975 and starred bigoted cockney Alf Garnett played by Warren Mitchell.
22 July 1950. William Mackenzie King died (aged 75). He was best known for his leadership of Canada throughout the Second World War and for being the longest-serving prime minister in Canadian history.
22 July 1947. Don Henley, founding member, co-lead vocalist and co-songwriter for The Eagles was born in Gilmer, Texas, USA. He sang lead vocal on many Eagles hits, most notably, Desperado, Best of My Love, Life in the Fast Lane, One of These Nights and Hotel California.
22 July 1942. The systematic deportation of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto to SS controlled German death camps began.
22 July 1934. American bank robber John Dillinger (aged 31) was shot and killed by FBI agents in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He operated with a group of men known as the “Dillinger Gang” who were accused of robbing 24 banks and 4 police stations.
22 July 1933. American pilot Wiley Post became the 1st person to fly solo around the World in 7 days, 18 hours and 45 minutes which was the then the fastest-ever around-the-world-trip. He used 2 new technologies: a primitive autopilot and a radio direction finder for navigation.
22 July 1928. Jimmy Hill was born in London. The peak of his playing career was for Fulham before he became the manager of Coventry City and then embarked on a career in football broadcasting. From 1973 to 1988, he was the chief host of the BBC’s Match of the Day.
22 July 1812. British forces led by Arthur Wellesley (later Duke of Wellington) defeated French troops at the Battle of Salamanca during the Peninsular War in Spain. The battle established Wellington as an effective offensive general.
22 July 1298. Edward I’s archers, using longbows for the 1st time, defeated William Wallace and his Scottish forces at the Battle of Falkirk. Shortly after the battle Wallace resigned as the Guardian of Scotland.
22 July 1376. Legend of the rat and children catching “Pied Piper of Hamelin” is said to have occurred on this date. It holds that after he did not receive payment for ridding the city of rats, he led children away to their deaths.
