Adelaide, South Australia on the 31st of May, 1914. It was the last day the Glenelg train came up King William Street.
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Monthly Archives: May 2018
Reconciliation Day
Today Canberra becomes the first place in Australia to host a public holiday for Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. Reconciliation Day replaces the Family and Community Day holiday, which replaced the Melbourne Cup holiday before that.
On this day: Arras in Ruins
This image of Arras, France was taken on the 26th of May, 1917. It shows the Hôtel de Ville (town hall) in ruins.
Arras was near the front line of the First World War, and saw significant battles from as early as 1914.
On this day: a truce is called
This image, taken on the 24th of May, 1915, shows Australian and Turkish troops collecting the dead after a nine-hour truce was called at the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey.
After an attack from the Turks five days earlier that left more than 3000 dead, the stench became so strong both sides agreed to remove the bodies.
The fighting in Turkey came to be commemorated in Australia and New Zealand as Anzac Day on the 25th of April each year.
On this day: free bread to honour the Queen
Canada honoured the Queen’s official birthday on the 21st of May this year. The British monarchs have celebrated an official birthday separate to their real birthday since the 1740s.
In 1859 this holiday occurred on the 24th of May, which was in fact Queen Victoria’s real birthday. To mark the occasion officials in Toronto handed out tickets for free loaves of bread.
On this day: a Station in Wales
This photograph is dated the 20th of May, 1961, and is of Buckley Junction Station.
Buckley, a village in the Flintshire region of Wales, is known for its distinct dialect. The unique way of speech is dying out as people come and go from the area.
On this day: the King’s official birthday.
This image is of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, on the King’s official birthday on the 19th of May, 1939.
The British monarch has celebrated an official birthday separate to their real birthday since George II began the tradition in 1748. The purpose of the different date was to ensure celebrations could be held in a warmer month, where there was a better chance of the weather being fine.
