Aug

 

                                        Gibraltarmonthly

August:

 1 Aug 1714 - Queen Anne died this day, aged 49, from chronic ill-health. She was the last Stuart monarch and had reigned since 1702; adding Gibraltar to her empire and giving us our first charter as a Free Port. The plan was for Sophia, Electress of Hanover to succeed Anne, but Sophia died a few weeks before Queen Anne; so Sophia’s eldest son succeeded, becoming George 1^st. That is why the Act of Settlement demands that any pretender to the British throne must be a Protestant descendant of Sophia… and must never have been... or married to... a Catholic. That’s you and me out.

 1 Aug 1807 – Bruce’s Farm went to auction.

 1 Aug 1841 – A light was exhibited for the first time, at the inauguration of the new Light House at Europa Point.

 1 Aug 1879 – The death occurred of Edmond Creswell, Gibraltar’s first Post Master General and surveyor of Mediterranean Post Offices. He was hard working and well respected in this community. He had been bitten on the hand by his daughter’s donkey and despite four amputations in succession, his strength eventually failed and he succumbed. He was buried next day at North Front cemetery.

 1 Aug 1896 – Bland & Co organised an outing in their steamer Gibel Musa. At 4.30 pm, 200 passengers were taken from Waterport, out past the Pearl Rock to the picturesque village of Guadalmesi. On return the boat ran past Europa as far as Catalan Bay before returning to Waterport at 7.15pm.

 1 Aug 1925 - Two Gibraltar families, evicted from La Linea, came into town and sat on Line Wall Road; until they were found lodgings by the City Council.

 1 Aug 1926 – The Automatic Telephone Exchange opened. It was a pre-2000 Strowger switch, eventually replaced by a Crossbar switch, which in turn was replaced by a System X.

 1 Aug 1931 - A grand tattoo was held at North Front by the North Staffordshire Regt; a fine spectacle rarely seen in Gibraltar.

 1 Aug 1934 - Extraordinary meeting of Chamber of Commerce to consider memo from the Exchange & Commercial Library and T&GWU with regard to more local representation. It was decided not to join the memo but to make representations to H.E. General Sir C.H. Harington that in future the two members appointed by him should be citizens of Gibraltar.

 1 Aug 1936 – Minden Day was celebrated by the K.O.Y.L.I. with trooping of the colours at the Alameda, H.E. the Governor making an address. The day commemorates the 1749 Battle of Minden during the Seven Years War, when the soldiers plucked flowers from the hedgerows as they advanced upon the French enemy. It is usually celebrated with the presentation of Roses.

 1 Aug 1945 – An elected majority became a reality for the City Council.

 1 Aug 1964 – Two well know local youths were involved in a traffic accident whilst driving to Camping Marbella for the weekend. The accident occurred about 4pm at the very dangerous corner opposite the main entrance to the Atalaya Park Hotel, the Gibraltar car, a two seater Triumph G18938, was driven by 19 year old Frederick Barratt who had as a passenger Philip Jardim of about the same age.  On taking the bend, the Triumph collided with an oncoming Volkswagen, MA 37778, used as a passenger van by the Golf Hotel, Guadalmina. There were no passengers in the van and the driver escaped unhurt. Both vehicles were badly damaged. Both occupants of the Gibraltar car were taken by a passing car to a clinic in San Pedro de Alcantara where their injuries were treated. Mr Jardim who sustained a broken leg was later transferred to Gibraltar by the Police ambulance. Mr Barratt was detained whilst the Police completed their enquiries, and suffered from a large cut to the head, requiring several stitches, and other minor injuries.

 1 Aug 1973 - The Holiday Inn, Governor's parade was opened.

 1 Aug 1990 - Chief Minister Joe Bossano officially opened the £5.8M concrete components factory at North Mole reclamation site.

 1 Aug 2002 – The cruise liner Arcadia arrived at Gibraltar yesterday with a sperm whale of between 60 & 80 feet impaled upon her bow. The crew were unaware of the whale until informed by the Port Authority who detached the dead animal and moored its carcass to Detached Mole.

2 Aug 1705 – The Archduke Charles stopped over on his way to the territories of the Crown of Aragon. The Prince of Hesse joined him, thus leaving the city. The English Major General John Shrimpton was left as governor, appointed by Archduke Charles, on the recommendation of Queen Anne.

2 Aug 1825 – The Chronicle reports that yesterday, a brig and a schooner were cruising in sight of Estepona; they took a Spanish bombardier two leagues east of that roadstead and chased a Guarda Costa close in shore at Marbella. (Globe) Oh… Columbian privateers… where are you now?

 2 Aug 1896 – The Bland Company ran a 2nd excursion this time aboard the Gibel Tarik to Tangier. On the way they spotted a ship ashore off Guadalmesi but were unable to render assistance with so many trippers on board. The steamer put in to Tarifa and telegraphed Messrs Bland & co who despatched Gibel Musa to help. The salvage steamer Berthilde also attended and between them they managed to refloat the stranded ship, a Spanish barque from Hyeres loaded with salt for Santos. The Berthilde towed her to Gibraltar whilst Gibel Musa proceeded to Tangier.

 2 Aug 1898 – (Sp-American War) Three companies of Spanish engineers and two companies of Cazadores from Vittoria have arrived at Algeciras. Altogether 7,600 troops are now distributed between Algeciras, Tarifa, Ronda, Los Barrios, San Roque and the Spanish Lines. (Cazadores - literally hunters - are riflemen who perform as skirmishers and snipers)

 2 Aug 1900 – The first vessel entered No 4 Dry Dock, originally constructed for the Titan Cranes used to build the new moles. After construction work was completed, 4 Dock became home to a flotilla of torpedo boats and eventually MoD adventurous training base. It has now been filled-in and is in temporary use as a coach park, what a waste.

 2 Aug 1922 – Visit of HRH the Duchess of Aosta (Princess Helene of Orleans, member of the exiled royal family of France and married to the 2^nd Duke of Aosta) and her sons, to General Sir H Smith Dorrien. At one time she and the Duke of Clarence had hoped to marry but differences in religion made it impossible.

 2 Aug 1923 – A plaque was unveiled in the dockyard commemorating the USS Chaunsey; sunk in collision with a cargo ship SS Rose, 110m west of Gibraltar on 19 November 1917.

 2 Aug 1933 – Mrs Gladys Chamberlain, wife of the Chief Steward to the Rear Admiral in Charge, was leaving her house, North Cottage in the grounds of the Mount, when she was attacked from behind by a rock ape which repeatedly pulled her hair. The lady managed to get away and ran back to her house. Although uninjured she was badly shocked. Her daughter who happened to be nearby was also attacked. A hunt was immediately organised; the animal was tracked down and shot. It appears the ape was not mixing with the rest of the pack and had been missing for some time.

 2 Aug 1943 – The British Ambassador to Spain, Samuel Hoare (later 1^st Viscount Templewood) met with General Franco at Franco’s his summer retreat at Pazo de Meiras. Using intelligence data and other materials (the British were aware that Franco was refuelling U-boats at Cadiz for eg.) Hoare pressured Franco to change direction, abandon his ties to Nazi Germany and become truly neutral. Hoare believed this meeting to be an important turning point, even if Franco would never completely break off ties with Germany. Franco did subsequently changed Spain’s status from non-belligerent to neutral. The £14 millions (£200M in today’s money) Churchill arranged to bribe Franco’s generals probably helped.

2 Aug 1944 – The Stirling Castle arrived, repatriating 3,161 evacuees; though many more were to arrive in small groups over the next ten years.

2 Aug 1981 - Newly-weds Prince Charles & Diana Spencer had a tumultuous welcome and a brief Rock Tour before setting off on honeymoon in R Y Britannia. Spain was miffed.

 2 Aug 1969 – In the early hours, the Civil Guard at the San Felipe post, La Linea, observed an inflatable motor boat with two persons on board reaching the breakwater. The two young people on board, both aged 22, were Gibraltarian Frank Lombard, taxi driver, and Moroccan Hazan Humbert, who had a Gibraltarian mother and French father. Hazan ventured as a companion intending to return later but finally ‘joined the escape’ (Spanish press).  The men demanded asylum. To provide work for these two it was announced that job offers would be directed to the La Linea City Council. Later in the month, to attempt to attract Gibraltarians, the Spanish Government issued a decree giving facilities so that (pre 1964) residents of the Rock could settle in the territory north of the Verja, opt for nationality, move their own business’ and validate academic degrees among other benefits. Unsurprisingly, there was little interest in the offer in Gibraltar. The Spanish press subsequently reported that 10 Gibraltarians had taken advantage of the measures… well perhaps.

 2 Aug 2002 – Two giant tuna have been caught in the strait and landed at Sheppards by the Sun Spray owned by Alex Desoisa and accompanied by Eddie Garcia, Mario Porro, Michael Faria and Bernard Wright. The first tuna weighed 270 kilos and the second 260K. Both tunas shattered the local record for Blue-Fin Tuna. 

 3 Aug 1492 - Columbus set off from Palos de la Frontera, to discover the Americas but in fact only discovered Hispaniola. He never set foot in North America which had already been discovered by the Vikings, the Basques and St Brendan… to name but a few.

 3 Aug 1704 – (or 23 July depending on which calendar you choose) Admiral Rooke lead a fleet which bombarded Gibraltar for 5 to six hours. There were 16 English ships under Admiral Byng and 6 Dutch ships under Paulus van der Dussen; Rooke was in overall command of the expedition.

 3 Aug 1752 – The weather was so hot that breathing became difficult and there was a smell of sulphur about the town. (James)

 3 Aug 1843 – The Rajah, Capt. Bangs, left Gibraltar for Boston, having on board the materials which were saved from the wreck of the USS Missouri and taking as passengers many of her late officers and crew. She arrived in Boston on 16^th October.

 3 Aug 1887 - Zobehr Pasha, also known as Al-Zubayr Rahma Mansur, held prisoner at Governor's cottage, was released. He had been a slave trader on a vast scale, head-quartered in Sudan and having 30 zaribas (trading stations) under his control. When banished from Sudan by General Gordon, he settled in Constantinople from where he fomented rebellions amongst his people in Egypt. He was imprisoned on the Rock from 1885.

 3 Aug 1915 - Despatch to the front line of an aeroplane, Gibraltar, presented by the people of Gibraltar to the Royal Flying Corps. Gibraltar raised £1500 which paid for the building of a B.E. 2C. By May 1916 the Imperial Aircraft Flotilla consisted of 91 aircraft purchased by funds donated by Britons overseas. (This was repeated in WW2.) The B.E. 2 was the first aircraft designed by the then Balloon Factory (later to become Royal Aircraft Factory) B.E standing for Bleriot Experimental. It was a biplane when Bleriot’s were monoplanes. In March 1915 there were only 12 BE2’s in France; by the end of the year there were 120. At this stage of the war, aircraft on both sides were unarmed and the observers shot at each other with rifles and dropped bombs, flechettes (a sort of heavy steel dart) and occasionally bricks, by hand!

 3 Aug 1936 – A Government Notice was published referring to illegal possession of fire-arms.

 3 Aug 1936 – The arrival of HMS Queen Elizabeth flying the flag of Commander in Chief, Mediterranean Fleet; she left for Cartegena the next day.

 3 Aug 1936 – (Sp Civ War) Spanish Government warships attacked Tarifa and Ceuta, fire being returned.

 3 Aug 1936 – (Sp Civ War) Canonero (Gunboat) Xavier arrived with spares for a plane and took off 100 refugees, mostly soldiers and carabineros to Malaga.

 3 Aug 1983 – Three Canberra T17 aircraft took off at 30 sec intervals from N. Front. The weather conditions were satisfactory for take off but deteriorating in the direction of the aircrafts’ flight path, with the cloud base lowering to merge with a glass-like sea surface. Each aircraft was observed entering the cloud at approx. 100 feet in a normal climbing attitude. Shortly afterwards the leader announced a change in radio frequency but there was no response from the second aircraft (WJ 625) and at the same time ATC reported only two contacts visible. The Gibraltar crash procedure was initiated and a rescue craft and a helicopter were dispatched to search the scene. Meanwhile, a Spanish fishing boat heard the aircraft’s impact with the sea and proceeding through fog patches towards the sound, discovered debris and fuel. There were no survivors from the crew of three. The bodies of William Hunter Edward, 24, Pilot (Aircraft Commander), Andrew Guy Beynon, 22, Navigator and Lt. Peter Ford, 42, Flight Engineer were all recovered from a depth of 120 feet. From a detailed investigation of the available evidence, including the salvaged aircraft wreckage, it was determined that the aircraft had climbed to about 120 feet before entering a shallow descent (5 -10’) from which it impacted the sea about 1300mtrs from the end of the runway. There was no indication of technical malfunction, bird-strike, crew incapacitation or meteorological phenomenon. However, the investigators found that the weather conditions had been ideal for the onset of somotogravic illusion, which has the effect of distorting the pilot’s perception of attitude, especially during a climb after take-off.  The aircraft and crew had been based at RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire.

 3 Aug 2002 - Morocco stopped the entry of goods to Ceuta via one of its two frontier posts. The closed post, known as Beliones, in Ceuta’s northern bay, now has queues of up to 500 persons daily. Rabat has re-stated that it will end the occupation of Ceuta and Melilla.

 3 Aug 2006 – Today, HMS Illustrious recorded another historical day in the annals of her visits to Gibraltar, with the handover of command from Commodore Robert Cooling to Captain Tim Fraser. Captain Fraser takes over as Carrier Strike Group Commander just days after Illustrious returned to the Rock having assisted in the extraction of civilians from Lebanon. She had originally been assigned to mark the departure of retiring Governor Sir Francis Richards prior to receiving immediate notice to go to Lebanon. Governor Richards subsequently departed on board HMS Monmouth.

 4 Aug 1704 – The town capitulated and was officially taken over (depending on which calendar you use).

 4 Aug 1862 – Margarita Pau died by ‘a Visitation of God, of Apoplexy’.

 4 Aug 1885 – A fire occurred in the cattle sheds (a store shed containing chopped straw) at North Front, dangerously near the new kennels of the Calpe Hunt. Since the wells were dry, the fire brigade were obliged to pump water from the sea. No casualty or serious damage occurred… but the Calpe kennels were OK.

 4 Aug 1895 - The sailing yacht Spray, Captain Slocum, arrived 36 days out of Boston having experienced a heavy gale on her way across the Atlantic, but sustaining no damage. She left on the 26 Aug for Yokohama via the Cape. This was part of the first solo circumnavigation recorded. (see Sailing alone around the world, Joshua Slocum.)

  4 Aug 1914 - Great European War commenced which lasted until 11th Nov 1916 when the armistice was signed. During this period, the people of Gibraltar followed the incidents of the war very closely and their behaviour throughout was most exemplary of their traditional loyalty.

 4 Aug 1917 – To commemorate the third anniversary of start of the Great War, religious services were held by all denominations. A public demonstration, many thousand strong held a patriotic meeting at Alameda.  In a speech, Governor, General Sir Herbert SG Miles said Gibraltar had devoted £30,000 out of public funds for services connected with the war and some £12,000 out of their pockets for different British and Allied funds.

 4 Aug 1918 – Fourth anniversary of the Declaration of War, when memorial services were held in all churches and synagogues and a patriotic meeting was held.

 4 Aug 1934 – The unveiling of the US Memorial Tablet at HM Dockyard in honour of the officers and men of US Cutters Tampa and Seneca, who lost their lives during the Great War, in September 1918.

 4 Aug 1936 – The death occurred of Miss Margaret Cresswell, ISO.

 4 Aug 1971- The Chronicle reports: A letter posted at Catalan Bay, on Friday 23^rd July, reached the Chronicle office yesterday, 3^rd Aug, delivered by the Acting Postmaster Joseph F. Russo. The reason for the delay, he said, was that they had lost the keys to Catalan Bay post box ‘for a few days.’ Of the 3 letters we posted to ourselves, that same day, one from Governors Parade and one from the G.P.O. arrived on Sat 24^th July… but we’d given up on this one.

 4 Aug 1991 – A Norwegian freighter sank today (Sunday) two hours after colliding with a Liberian ship in dense fog in the Strait. The Norwegian MV Lane (13,042 grt, built 1982) and the Liberian flagged vehicle carrier Astro Coach (13,950 t, built 1980) collided nearly 5 miles off Ceuta. (35. 59.9 N 05 18.8W) A spokesman for the Ceuta’s civil governor’s office said, the Lane’s engine room caught fire before the vessel sank and the 21 member crew abandoned ship. An officer apparently fell overboard and a search and rescue operation was underway.

 5 Aug 1704 - All Spaniards, with a few families excepted, abandoned Gibraltar and proceeded to Algeciras, San Roque and other places. Father Juan Romero de Figueroa Parish Priest of St Mary's remained. Catholics dying about that time were buried in the Church - now the Cathedral - of St Mary the Crowned.  This anniversary is recalled by Spain, every year, as the day they lost Gibraltar. (modern calendar)

 5 Aug 1870 - A fire broke out in a house in Lower Castle Road and the fire-hydrants installed by the Sanitary Commission were used for the first time.

 5 Aug 1913 - Main Street officially became Main St.  Throughout British times the north part had been called Waterport St, the southern part Southport St and the bit in the middle was called Church St.  Southport St. has remained virtually unchanged since 1575.

 5 Aug 1914 – At 2.30 am, Governor Lt Gen Sir Herbert Miles received a telegram from London informing him of the outbreak of war. There was a public announcement thereafter. Martial law and emergency measure followed immediately; the Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General informing the Colonial Secretary that the entire town and its inhabitants were now considered to be under military control. Military requirements and interests would henceforth dictate the control and safety of the Gibraltarian population.

 5 Aug 1936 – The Spanish Government Churruca class destroyer Lepanto arrived at Gibraltar damaged as a result of aerial attacks by the Nationalists; she was obliged to leave the same day by the British authorities.

 5 Aug 1936 – The Our Lady of Africa Convoy, officially the Convoy de la Victoria, was a convoy of 3500 Nationalist troops crossing the strait from Ceuta in four merchantmen supported by the gunboat Dato and Coastguard ship Uad Kert (a WW1 armed trawler ex-HMT Rother) and the T1 class Torpedo boat T-19. The convoy was covered by 5x Savoia SM81 bombers, 3x Trimotor Fokkers, 1x DC2,  2x Nieuport fighters, 2x hydroplanes and a squadron of Breguet XIX aeroplanes. Three Republican destroyers were attempting a blockade and were attacked by the ‘planes resulting in the destroyer Lepanto limping into Gibraltar. The convoy arrived at Algeciras from where the gunboat Dato straddled the British destroyer HMS Basilisk, misidentifying her as a Republican vessel. Two shells fell at Eastern Beach and the Race Course but luckily caused no casualty. Battle was engaged between the convoy escorts and the Republican destroyer Alcala Galiano which was eventually damaged whilst steaming back to Malaga. Following the incident with Basilisk, all British and US ships flew large ensigns at the fore whenever in Spanish waters.

 5 Aug 1936 - City Council Reservoir No 8, of 1M gallons capacity was completed after 18 months work.

 5 Aug 1997 – With an estimated 200 apes upon The Rock, concerns are growing that since they are seen at Moorish Castle Estate and occasionally in Casemates, it is only a matter of time before they descend on Main St and overrun it. When this nuisance occurred years ago, the army was brought in to take action and concentrate the animals on the upper rock. The advice offered at the time was that numbers should be kept at between 30 and 40.

 5 Aug 1997 – The Gibraltar Government regrets that the UK government has accepted the wording of the Amsterdam Treaty which gives Spain a veto should the UK wish to take part in Schengen at some future date. It has no immediate effect on our border, since we are outside Schengen, but should the UK decide on membership the Spaniards would insist on the exclusion of Gibraltar… fast forward to 2024… and no surprise.

 5 Aug 1997 – In a potentially satirical article by John Ryle in the Guardian, under the heading Rock & Rule, the author describes Gibraltar as a post-colonial anomaly. He recently discussed these relics of Empire with his father, a war veteran, who proposes the radical solution of moving the UN to The Rock. However, as an informed observer, I suggest that the change from Manchester Guardian to The Guardian, along with its move down to London, has seen a general decline in the quality of its journalism alongside an almost complete loss of honest, liberal northern values and its commitment to pursuing reasoned debate; this aligns with the general debility of the English press and a Sky News / Antenna Tres attitude to scooping disasters, deaths and body counts. The Guardian, like the BBC, has become London-centric, adopting the views of the capital which are frequently at odds with the rest of the UK.  This is not only a sad day for the fourth estate, but for us too, since Gibraltar newspapers continue to mimic those of the UK.

 5 Aug 2002 – At 3.00pm the airport was closed to all traffic and emergency services stood by when a Nimrod aircraft called in an emergency alert. The aircraft, which had been exercising on the Rock all weekend, experienced a loss of oil in one engine. Flight Engineer Dave Pym explained “We practice just this sort of emergency in the simulator all the time and the aircraft is quite capable of landing safely on only two engines.” This event follows the recent emergency when a military aircraft landed with the cockpit engulfed in smoke.

 6 Aug 1825 – Governor Sir George Don has issued a proclamation stating that no person shall exchange or purchase provisions, fuel or forage from the soldiers, as it gives rise to dishonesty and fraud. (Gibraltar Chronicle)

 6 Aug 1830 - A fire broke out in one of the back buildings of Mr Parody's premises in Waterport St. as a result of a cask of spirits being accidentally ignited. The fire took five hours to extinguish causing damage to the owner’s and tenants’ houses and to adjacent houses, parts of which had to be pulled down in order to check its progress. Damage was estimated at 40,000 dollars. The cook in the tavern in the lower part of Mr Parody's house was burnt to death. (The cook’s death as an afterthought reflects newspaper attitudes of the day)

 6 Aug 1845 - The foundation stone of Eliott's Battery was laid.

 6 Aug 1873 - Tobacco and other goods no longer permitted to pass through the custom post at La Linea.

 6 Aug 1885 – A young Spaniard was admitted to the Civil Hospital at 2pm and he died that same night. It was the first case in the subsequent Cholera epidemic, which lasted until 14th October. There were 32 cases of which 22 died. The epidemic was much more severe in La Linea where 411 cases were reported resulting in 188 deaths

 6 Aug 1914 - Gibraltar paper money was issued for the first time.

 6 Aug 1915 – (WW1) The first batch of wounded soldiers and sailors from the Gallipoli campaign were landed at Gibraltar, everyone came forward to offer a helping hand.

 6 Aug 1936 – Spanish Government war vessels, headed by Jaime Primero, carried out a terrific bombardment of Tarifa and Punta Carnero and continued to Algeciras. In Algeciras a number of direct hits were observed which raised clouds of smoke and dust in several places. About half a mile east of Algeciras the battleship stopped, then fired several salvoes into the harbour and then turned slowly and repeated her cruise past the town. The object of the attack appeared to be the rebel gunboat Eduardo Dato, moored to the Algeciras pier. At about 10am the gunboat was seen to be ablaze and several explosions were heard. A quantity of cork on the quayside also caught fire. Many casualties and considerable damage was caused.

 6 Aug 1940 – Operation Tube; submarine HMS Pandora reached Malta from Gibraltar delivering ground parts and spares for the Hurricane fighters landed by aircraft carrier HMS Argus as part of Operation Hurry on 2^nd August. She was followed by submarine HMS Proteus, on the same mission, two days later.

 6 Aug 2005 – The death occurred in Scotland of Labour politician Robin Cook. Whilst serving as UK’s Foreign Secretary he had urged Gibraltar to ‘go the extra mile’ in discussions with Spain. It was later revealed that he had been ‘going the extra mile’ with his secretary; so if his family could not trust him, why would Gibraltar. 

 7 Aug 1845 – The foundation stone for Eliott’s Battery was laid at Europa.

 7 Aug 1856 – The 13th and 89th Regiments departed.

 7 Aug 1900 - The dredger St Martin, belonging to Topham, Jones & Railton, contractors for the harbour works, became the first ever steamer to leave a dry dock in Gibraltar. The small dock (4 Dock) had been constructed opposite the Kings Bastion to enable the contractors to repair their dredgers, etc, saving the necessity of sending them to Cadiz.

 7 Aug 1908 – Around noon, the collapse of an octagonal iron tank containing 20,000 gallons of salt water, caused a wave 2 feet high to sweep into the lower town; but it did no damage. The tank was used for cooling purposes at the Condensing Station near Calpe Battery.

 7 Aug 1936 - Spanish republican warships bombarded Algeciras; which was then in Nationalist hands. Jaime Primero, (battleship) Libertad, Churruca and Lepanto, first attacked Ceuta, the battery at Punta Carnero replied, then Jaime Primero bombarded Algeciras, sinking the rebel gunboat Eduardo Dato which burned to the waterline (it was however rebuilt and returned to service.) A quantity of cork on the quay caught fire and there was considerable damage and many casualties.  No landing was attempted. All of Gibraltar watched from Europa Point.

 7 Aug 1936 - (Sp Civ War) From this date Europa Point was closed nightly at 10pm. The British Government warned Gibraltarians about strict impartiality.

 7 Aug 1981 - British MP, the Marquis d'Ouro, descendant of Wellington, with real estate in Granada, offered the idea of an Anglo-Spanish condominium as a wedding present to Charles & Diana. Who does he think he is?

 8 Aug 1813 – The brig Diligence, Benjamin Kitto, Master, left today with a cargo of wine bound for Guernsey. She put into Fowey in distress and was quarantined there. The crew are healthy.

 8 Aug 1822 – From the Agent to Lloyds at Gibraltar; The US frigate Constitution, Commodore Jones, sailed yesterday for Minorca to remove their depot of naval stores, in consequence of a peremptory order from the Spanish government to that effect. In the course of the afternoon the Ontario, American sloop of war and the Nonsuch, schooner, arrived and being admitted to pratique at a late hour, took in some provisions and sailed at 10 o’clock last night for the same destination as the Constitution. This step appears to have been taken by the Spanish government in consequence of the recent recognition, by the United States, of the South American independence. (Courier) The Spaniards consider the South American states Rebels.

 8 Aug 1871 – The Gibraltar Fire Brigade was established.

 8 Aug 1889 – Police Sgt. Santos reported that 10 oil lamps had been fixed on poles opposite the Spanish Lines, in North Front, so that the smugglers should not operate in the dark (?)

 8 Aug 1890 - General the Hon. Leicester Smyth was appointed Governor. He was sworn into office on 30 Sep 1890 and remained in office until his death, aged 61, in 1891.

 8 Aug 1923 – A new lamp was installed at Europa Lighthouse.

 8 Aug 1928 – Messrs J.J. Russo and W.H. Smith appointed unofficial members of the Executive Council.

 8 Aug 1939 -  Destroyers Hardy, Hasty, Hereward, Hero and Hostile departed Gibraltar for Malta. Destroyers Havock, Hotspur, Hunter and Hyperion arrived at Gibraltar from Malta.

 8 Aug 1981 - Prince Charles met the Spanish polo team in UK and said "It's a pity about the Gibraltar thing...” according to Hola.

 8 Aug 2002 – Stephanie Stagnetto (granddaughter of Charles Gaggero) pushed the button to start the first official bottling cycle of the new Linefill Mono-bloc Bottle Plant at Saccone & Speed, Devil’s Tower Road. The plant it replaced had been in use since 1968 and the company has been producing and bottling on The Rock for 150 years.

 9 Aug 1813 – A fleet of 34 sail, convoyed by HM ships Achilles, 74 guns, and the Thunder, bomb, left for the UK. The brig Gunton, Robert Hall master, from Port Mahon, Minorca with a cargo of wine and cork, was detached at Plymouth, on Sept. 9^th, where it remains in quarantine. The remainder of the convoy continued eastwards, up the channel.

 9 Aug 1871 – Antonio Corbacho was sentence to one week’s hard labour for being in the garrison without a permit after having been previously expelled for the same thing.

 9 Aug 1894 – Today saw the promulgation of Colonial Hospital Amendment Ordinance, 1894.

 9 Aug 1902 - Coronation festivities in honour of King Edward VII & Queen Alexandra commenced today and lasted until the 11th.

 9 Aug 1911 – A collision occurred in the Strait between SS Silverton (British) and SS L 'Emir (French) resulting in 62 passengers drowned when the L'Emir sank.

 9 Aug 2002 – The Gibraltar Squadron’s two Archer class patrol boats (HMS Ranger & Trumpeter) emerged today with machine guns fitted to their foredecks, as an anti terrorist measure, reports the UK’s Sun newspaper. Apparently it is a secret, since no comment has been made by MoD locally.

9 Aug 1900 - First block of concrete for Commercial Mole was laid.

 9 Aug 1902 – Coronation activities in honour of King Edward VI and Queen Alexandria began today and lasted until 11^th.

 9 Aug 1934 - Public Meeting arranged by the Exchange & Commercial Library and TGWU at Commercial Sq presided over by Mr AL Galliano, President of E & CL, some 3000 people being present. A memo was agreed to HM the King in Council, petitioning for the grant of more local representation and lists placed at the Exchange Lobby for signatures. All coffee houses and shops were closed during the meeting and loudspeakers were used. NB: The memo was signed by 3,152 out of the electoral census of 3,890 and on Aug 31st was handed to the Colonial Sec. by Mr S.P. Triay. The answer was a refusal on 7th Feb 1935.

 9 Aug 1999 – It emerged today that, back in Aug 1994, the Attorney General of Gibraltar’s telephone lines were bugged on orders from British Intelligence. Chris Clark described as a professional ‘phone-tapper and burglar told the Sunday times yesterday, that he “attached two UHF transmitters, each no bigger than a cigarette lighter, to the telephone lines” of A.G. John Blackburn-Gittings. Five years ago, almost to the day, Mr Gittings resigned as A.G. 11 months prematurely in strange circumstances. In London, it was leaked that “contacts between Mr Gittings and some of his previous clients was thought to be inappropriate” (he had been a leading defence lawyer) however that is unlikely to be the real reason. Now, (not so) professional ‘phone-tapper Clark has alleged in a sworn statement that he was paid £2500 by MI6 to bug the A.G. Had he been a ‘professional’ phone-tapper he would not have been found out. Had the ‘phone tap been legitimate, it would have been authorised through the usual procedures and executed from UK. It is fishy. It also begs the question; who was it in Gibraltar listening to those transmissions? The F&CO standard answer said they “do not comment on operational intelligence matters”. Mr Gittings is now (1999) a high court judge in Botswana.

 9 Aug 2006 – There was a big explosion in the Acerinox steel plant, near Palmones, this morning. Some 18 workers were affected and 6 were taken to hospital in Algeciras. Smoke was seen to issue from the factory and reports spoke of a cloud of dust, explaining that as a result people suffered from minor respiratory problems. The accident happened during an operation involving molten steel and it believed water was involved. The plant’s emergency plan 1 was put into operation. Some years ago Acerinox had an unreported radioactive leak which was only discovered by air sampling in central Europe; Swiss scientists tracked the radioactivity back to Acerinox.

 10 Aug 1803 - The First stone of the new Waterport Wharf was laid.

 10 Aug 1903 – The American Squadron, under Rear Admiral Cotton, arrived today from Lisbon, en route to Villefranche, Southern France.

 10 Aug 1920 - First two apes left for London Zoo.

 10 Aug 1936 (Sp Civ War) A special warning was issued saying that the British Government’s attitude in regard to the Spanish Civil War is one of strict impartiality and calling on inhabitants to refrain from speaking or acting with partiality to any of the contending parties. This, of course, was not strictly true but was intended to try to keep the lid on events on the Rock. The government has warned every inhabitant to refrain from publicly displaying sympathy with either party in Spain. Refugees thus abusing British hospitality are threatened with expulsion.

 10 Aug 1940 – Troopship SS Neuralia departed Gibraltar for Madeira, with 2000 civilian evacuees. She was accompanied by destroyer HMS Gallant on her 600 mile trip.

10 Aug 1965 – Mr Roland Daniel Maillot, a 31 year old French visitor, was found dead on the Upper Rock behind the Rock Hotel / Casino area at about 8.30pm. The man was found by Mr Juan Cruz who immediately contacted the Police who removed the body to St Bernard’s Hospital. It was believed that he had fallen from the area of Apes Den.

 10 Aug 1965 - Demolition of the air raid shelters in Governor’s Parade began today.

 10 Aug 1972 - Visitors to the City Centre exhibition suggested knocking down the Piazza and making it into a proper square. They thought that the £1.5M proposed beautification plan would be pointless if it left the Piazza “sticking out like a sore thumb.” The matter is finally to be addressed this year (2002) since the Main Street beautification, completed over the last few years, indeed leaves the Piazza like a “sore thumb”.

  11 Aug 1881 - The newly consecrated Vicar Apostolic of Gibraltar, Right Reverend Dr Gonzalo Canilla was prevented from entering St Mary the Crowned by a mob protesting at his appointment. The mob had been stirred up by the so-called Junta of Elders of the Catholic Community (rich, middle class merchants) who preferred their own candidate. This was early evidence of the local custom whereby, when you want to stab someone in the back… you start by forming a committee.

 11 Aug 1885 - A Sanitary Cordon was placed on the neutral ground following an outbreak of cholera.

 11 Aug 1914 – First Colonial Government bank notes were circulated.

 11 Aug 1921 - A meteoric display, the sky was alive with falling stars.

 11 Aug 1936 - The new Spanish Consul, Don Vicente Alvarez Buylla arrived from England and replaced his predecessor Don Cavonas.

 11 Aug 1936 – A Housing Commission was appointed.

 11 Aug 1964 – A major fire broke out at the Police Barracks in Castle Road at 3.15pm. An explosion was heard quite a distance away and the smoke and flames were visible from afar. Two City Council tenders were soon on the scene and about 100 police came to the rescue. It took three jets for about an hour to extinguish the flames. The fire originated in the kitchen of a top floor flat occupied by PC Lopez, his wife and two boys, who were all taken to St Bernard’s Hospital suffering from shock. The fire was thought to have caused by a butane cylinder exploding; altogether there were three explosions.

 11 Aug 1969 – The New Constitution came into force.

 11 Aug 1997 – A Gibraltar registered yacht was involved in a Spanish Police chase (last week) along the Malaga coast, when shots were fired and it was hit. Close on a ton of cannabis was found on board. Although Gibraltar registered, the 7 man crew comprised a Spanish master, a German and 5 Italians: but no doubt the Spanish media played that down.

 11 Aug 2002 – A large fire could be seen from Gibraltar, behind the hill immediately to the west of San Roque and behind Los Barrios. It burned for some time producing a dense cloud of grey/black smoke. The next day we found it had been a cork factory; which apparently had been suffering financial difficulty… problem solved…eh?

 11 Aug 2006 – The Air Accident Investigation Board today released their report about the Monarch incident in March. Apparently, the Monarch 757 with 184 passengers on board was approaching via the median line of the bay and the pilot confirmed visual sighting of the runway; upon making his right hand turn to land on 090 the pilot lost sight of the runway and in fact lined-up the aircraft correctly on 090 but displaced laterally towards Waterport Terraces and Watergardens.  When he regained visual and realised the mis-alignment he aborted but turned right (which would have been correct for 270) instead of left, crossing detached mole and the dockyard. When alerted by ATC, he tightened the turn to the south and climbed, missing the southern part of the upper rock. By the time the aircraft over-flew New Mole and Rosia it was at 2100 feet and the highest part of the Rock is 1420 feet.

 12 Aug 1825 – Brevet Major D. Falla, Town Major, is to be appointed Lieutenant Colonel in the army.

 12 Aug 1829 - Spanish Vice Admiral Don Gabriel de Ciscar, exiled to Gibraltar 6 years ago, died and was buried here.

 12 Aug 1885 - The Sanitary Cordon was removed from the Neutral Ground.

 12 Aug 1928 - Famous ape Jacko was captured and sent off to London Zoo. Jacko had achieved fame by intruding into the Governor’s bedroom and being subsequently court martialled and sentenced to death; the sentence was commuted to exile.

 12 Aug 1930 – The death occurred in London of Sir Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien.

 12 Aug 1931 - Mr J Discombe, JP, Registrar and acting Attorney General appointed to act as Chief Justice.

 12 Aug 1951 – An AVRO Shackleton MR 1, Registration VP 283, was on final approach to North Front when the undercarriage hit the end of the runway and both main landing gears sheared off. The pilot performed a go-around, but unable to land, the aircraft was ditched in the sea 5.6 miles off. The crew were rescued but the aircraft was lost. The Shackleton operated on a conversion training flight for 224 Squadron. The pilot was reportedly blinded by the sun during the approach. All the occupants were saved.

 12 Aug 1962 – Sergeant Air Signaller PTJ Gibbings fell from AVRO Shackleton WG 533, 224 Squadron North Front, somewhere near Gibraltar and was killed.

 12 Aug 1982 – At a ceremony in the garden of Moorish Castle Prison, H.E. Gen Sir William Jackson was presented with a pair of handcuffs dating to the 1700s, mounted on a piece of pinewood from the last gallows, which also bear the insignia of the prison. Whilst there, H.E. presented the Colonial Police Long Service Medal to Principal Officer Charles Douglas Gaetto.

 12 Aug 2005 – The UK’s National Air Traffic Services (NATS) has won its first overseas contract. The contract with MoD is to provide air traffic control (ATC) services for Gibraltar and will be worth £3.5M over 3 years, commencing early in 2006.

 12 Aug 2007 – At 0555, today (Sunday) the Panamanian cargo vessel New Flame, carrying scrap metal, was in collision with the Danish product tanker Torm Gertrude about 1km off Europa Point in BGTW. The New Flame had just left Gibraltar for Turkey and the Torm Gertrude was inbound to Algeciras Port from the Eastern Med. Both vessels were damaged but the Torm Gertrude proceeded to Algeciras. The New Flame’s damage resulted in Nos. 1 & 2 holds being completely flooded. This caused the vessel to start sinking and the 23 crew abandoned ship. She then drifted and came to rest on a nearby reef. The current situation is that the bow is grounded on the reef and the remainder of the vessel, from amidships to the stern is above the surface of the water. Divers have been employed to inspect the damage and the Gibraltar Marine Surveyor carried out a full on-board inspection. Anti oil-spill resources are on hand and options are being considered about removing the vessel’s fuel. Joe Holiday, Minister for Shipping viewed from Europa and visited the GPA Incident room and patted heads.  The New Flame had been the stand-on vessel and the Torm Gertrude the give-way vessel, nonetheless, the official investigation criticized both masters for taking insufficient steps to prevent a collision, among its ten recommendations. See report.

 13 Aug 1871 – Three market boys were fined $1 or 24 hours in prison for not wearing their badges.

 13 Aug 1885 - A camp of Bell Tents was pitched on the Glacis.

 13 Aug 1928 - Sir Charles Monro departed; ending his tour as Governor. During his tour he and Lady Monro had endeared themselves to the people of Gibraltar and their departure was genuinely felt by the whole community.

 13 Aug 1928 – The Chamber of Commerce presented Sir Charles Monro with a handsome silver tea service and the ladies of Gibraltar presented Lady Monro with a beautiful brooch shaped as a castle and key forming the crest of Gibraltar. They also received other proofs of esteem.

 13 Aug 1930 – An order was published stating that street vendors are no longer allowed to shout their merchandise.

 13 Aug 1932 – A report in El Aimencillor, local newspaper, states riots allowed through La Linea customs (?)  The measure lasted until 25^th August.

 13 Aug 1934 - Marriage Licence are now 10/- (shillings) ie. That’s 50p in new money.

 13 Aug 1936 – (Sp Civ War) Spanish Government battleship Jaime Primero was damaged by a Nationalist ‘plane at Malaga. She was an Espana Class Dreadnought.

 13 Aug 1936 – (Sp Civ War) Two marines from HMS Queen Elizabeth swam to Algeciras and joined the Nationalist forces.

 13 Aug 1936 – (Sp Civ War) At a City Council meeting, H.E. the Governor’s appreciation was conveyed (he wasn’t there) to the council, for the splendid work performed during the emergency arising from the disturbances in Spain. (Governor’s were expected to be patronising in those times, since the council were largely L.C.s)

 13 Aug 1953 - The City Council decided that a goat brought into Gibraltar without their permission, must be removed immediately as it "constituted a serious danger in the overcrowded conditions still prevalent".

 13 Aug 1958 – A two year old Rock Ape, Winston II, was found shot dead under a wall at Moorish Castle. An autopsy at the Military Hospital subsequently determined that the shot was from an air gun; a chance shot that hit the ape in the neck and entered the brain. Winston II was a successor to the ape specifically named after Winston Churchill some years earlier.

 13 Aug 1961 – The death occurred of Mr Arthur Porral, owner and editor of El Calpense, the daily evening newspaper. Mr Porral, who was only 50, had been admitted to King George Vth hospital a couple of weeks earlier with heart trouble.

 13 Aug 1962 – General Sir Dudley Ward paid his official call on the Military Governor of Algeciras and the Campo, General Don Ramon de Meer Pardo.

 13 Aug 1980 – The last Italian underwater Chariot of WW2 was located off Detached Mole, by the minesweeper HMS Kedlestone. (Perhaps… rumours persist that another was discovered ashore when the ground was cleared to build Vineyards)

 13 Aug 1997 - Spanish Foreign Affairs director general was reported in Europa-Sur as saying; "There will be no progress on cooperation between Gibraltar and the Campo without parallel progress on sovereignty."

13 Aug 1889 - Departure of the 1st Battalion the Royal West Kent Regiment (Buffs).

 13 Aug 2002 – The well-intentioned but misguided Terry Waite, former middle-east hostage and subsequent hostage negotiator, arrived in Gibraltar today. Whilst agreeing that he is new to the problem, he has already suggested that Gibraltar, UK and Spain should submit their differences to an independent mediator. No doubt the more he learns the more likely he will see the nonsense of that point of view.

 14 Aug 1816 – (Sir Edward Pellew) Lord Exmouth’s combined fleet departed to besiege the Dey in Algiers. The bombardment commenced on 27 Aug 1816.

 14 Aug 1914 – (WW1) Two infantry battalions stationed at Gibraltar were withdrawn and the Royal Engineers and Royal Garrison Artillery took over local defences. By early 1915 the Garrison Artillery were withdrawn to fight in France and men were recruited locally to replace them.

 14 Aug 1969 - City Council of Gibraltar met for the last time.

 14 Aug 1982 – Dr James J Giraldi presented with the Honorary Freedom of the City of Gibraltar, in a 7.30pm ceremony at the Piazza. The Mayor, Mr Abraham Serfaty, presented Dr Giraldi with a scroll, produced entirely by local craftsmen, after stressing Dr Giraldi’s distinguished service to the community.

 14 Aug 2008 – Two vessels MV Veronica B and MT Ginga Saker were involved in a near miss in the Bay today, in dense fog. The 22,536 ton container ship was inbound to Algeciras proceeding north, whilst the 12,110 ton vegetable oil tanker was departing the north of the bay. Veronica B made an emergency manoeuvre and successfully avoided colliding with the tanker but that resulted in a glancing blow to the north mole harbour entrance, as the manoeuvre caused her to enter the harbour. Veronica B then put engines full astern and threw out her anchor to stop within metres of the embankment in front of Europlaza. Video footage shot by Europlaza residents show the frightening reality of a very large vessel about to enter the building.

 15 Aug 1825 – Governor Sir George Don issued a proclamation stating that no foreigner should receive a permit for residence in the garrison unless he is personally known to some of the respectable inhabitants. (Globe)

 15 Aug 1891 – The Post Office re-opened after reconstruction.

 15 Aug 1902 - Mediterranean Cave was discovered on the East side of the Rock.

 15 Aug 1911 - Return of the census taken on April 2nd was published. It showed a population of 25,367; a drop from the 27,640 recorded in 1901.

 15 Aug 1932 – The death occurred in London of Dr P.F. Lyons, JP.

 15 Aug 1936 – (Sp Civ War) The old Spanish National colours were reverted to in La Linea and other towns occupied by the Nationalists.

 15 Aug 1990 - Gibraltar Police arrested 10 men and seized 300 kilos of cannabis resin in Operation Alpha.

 15 Aug 2002 – The MoD yesterday reported the loss of a radioactive test source from a safe in the base. The source is a 50mm sphere and is sealed in a tin, offering very little danger as even if the tin is opened, exposure to the test source for 30mins will still deliver a dose rate less than received on a typical 3hr civilian aircraft flight. The MoD commenced an immediate investigation and Deputy Chief Mini K Azzopardi called for a review of safety procedures. A week later the source turned up - within the base - with no explanation.

 15 Aug 2003 – An ancient stone tool, predating the Neanderthals and perhaps half a million years old has been discovered in Gorhams Cave. The cleaver, found two days ago, belongs to an industry known as the Acheulian and is similar to tools of that period found in the Sahara, leading to speculation that Homo Heidelbergensis may have crossed the Strait from Africa to colonise SW Europe.

 16 Aug 1781 - (Great Siege) Spanish gunboats opened fire. A shot fell in the hospital killing a soldier of the 72nd Regiment (RMVs).

 16 Aug 1837 - HRH Prince de Joinville arrived.

 16 Aug 1871 – Salvador Fernandez ordered out of the garrison until further notice for shouting in a public street whilst selling fruit.

 16 Aug 1887 – Zobehr Rashmet Pasha, an Arab sheik and famous slave hunter, who had been imprisoned in Gibraltar in 1885, sailed for Port Said.

 16 Aug 1891 – The Post Office was rebuilt.

 16 Aug 1910 – The Spanish steamer Martos, 1046 tons, foundered today in the entrance to the Strait some 32 miles west of Tarifa after a collision with the German steamer Elsa, 194 tons, in thick fog. Some 32 passengers and 7 of the crew were drowned, survivors being landed at Gibraltar. The bow of the Elsa was stove in by the collision and her forepeak filled with water, however she managed to stay afloat and reach the Rock.

 16 Aug 1917 - Ptas 5000 collected by the Exchange Committee for the formation of a local band.

 16 Aug 1971 – Fusilier Eric Amor entered the water at 7.10 am, to commence his marathon swim from Tangier to Gibraltar. His course took him directly across the strait to the Spanish coast then along the coastline to Camp Bay, Gibraltar. It was found that the specially constructed cage, built for protection from dolphins, jellyfish and sharks, was too heavy for the towing boat in the prevailing Levanter – so some light explosives were taken to ward off predators. Eric had to abandon the swim at 1245, just 5.6 miles from Camp Bay, beaten by the current and strong winds. He hopes to make another attempt during his remaining 8 weeks on the Rock.

 16 Aug 1972 – Lt Col. Mohamed Amekrane arrived in Gibraltar with another officer, on board a requisitioned Moroccan Air Force helicopter, seeking asylum. The Colonel was commander of an air force base which had launched a phalanx of F5 fighters to shoot down a passenger aircraft carrying King Hassan II of Morocco. The coup attempt failed and realising the consequence he fled to The Rock. After a flurry of ministerial consultations, Ted Heath’s government determined that the men were refugee illegal aliens and they were repatriated to whence they came. Their application, rejection and deportation happened within 15 hours, purposefully too fast for anyone to get wind of what was happening. Col. Amekrane, his companion Lt. Lyazid Midoaui plus nine others complicit in the attempt were executed together in a prison at Kenitra the following November. The Lt. Col.’s widow subsequently filed a suit against the UK in a European Commission of Human Rights Court eventually winning a £37,500 settlement.  

 16 Aug 2001 – The F&CO, keen to strike a deal with Spain over the Open Sky initiative (blocked by Spain because it insists on excluding Gibraltar) urged Spain to offer an olive branch to Gibraltar. The Spanish Foreign Minister responded by offering more telephone lines, although the problem is not lines, but Spain’s refusal to acknowledge our code (350) as the rest of the world does. Calls handled by Spain with a 350 prefix are dumped. ‘Since people here have learned their lesson, a top flight visit even by Foreign Sec. Jack Straw could well backfire’ says Panorama. Well it did… big time.

 17 Aug 1862 - A comet was seen. It is now known as P109, Swift-Tuttle, discovered independently by Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle in July 1862. It has an orbital period of 133 years; was observed again in 1992 and will be observable to the naked eye when it next passes close to the earth in July 2126…. I will probably miss that. 

 17 Aug 1898 - Owen William Macdonell Callan, an Englishman (?) was sentenced to ten years penal servitude for attempting to kill Hubert Birkin, Englishman, at the Bristol Hotel Tangier.

 17 Aug 1936 – (Sp Civ War) HMS Venetia arrived, bringing refugees from Cartagena and Almeria.

 17 Aug 1982 – Over the last few days, international pacifists flocked to the Rock to protest against Gibraltar’s military connections and the continued closure of the frontier. They came to Gibraltar via La Linea in every available craft; rowing boats, lilos, rubber dinghies or simply swam over. By Sunday night 60 had arrived and more came yesterday, all intent on taking part in one of the regular frontier-jumps for which Gonzalo Arias has made a name for himself. When the pacifists got to the frontier, half jumped, the rest broke away dashing to the runway where they painted the CND sign on the ground and chained themselves to a helicopter. They were taken into Police custody.

 18 Aug 1763 – A report from Gibraltar stated: ‘An English frigate which arrived here yesterday from Tangier, brings advice that on the 16^th  three half-galleys arrived at Tetuan, having left at Algiers three prizes that they had carried in there. We have also advice that a Spanish ship, bound from Cadiz to Biscay, was taken but afterwards was shipwrecked at the entrance into the harbour of Minorca: the crew were saved. On the 16^th sailed from Tangier, on a cruise as is supposed, in the Mediterranean, an Algerine pink, of 13 guns & 200 men.’

 18 Aug 1814 - An outbreak of yellow fever commenced today, resulting in 246 deaths.

 18 Aug 1820 – The British ship Peterell, was wrecked on Cabrita Point, en route from Liverpool to Gibraltar.

 18 Aug 1826 – The inhabitants of the garrison have been much amused at the Spanish fleet, which has anchored in the bay to watch the terrible Columbian privateer Republicana. One of the largest vessels of the squadron is anchored alongside the privateer – the others are moored near the Spanish lines. The tender of the privateer gave the Spaniards the slip, and proceeded to sea to cruise, but the fleet dare not separate, for fear of an attack by the Columbians, who are in great spirits. (Globe)

 18 Aug 1868 - Two earthquake shocks were felt in Gibraltar and at the Spanish Lines and in San Roque. Crockery was destroyed by the vibration and the rumbling was mistaken for a distant explosion. The Chronicle reported: ‘We have been unable as yet to ascertain whether the earthquake lately felt here extended any considerable distance, but there appears to be good grounds for supposing that the region most disturbed was the bed of the Straits. A strange fact is reported by steamers and ships passing through them about the time of the shock. Although the wind was westerly, there was such a strong current running to the eastward that vessels that had been making eight knots and ships under full sail could make no head whatever. It is also said that shoals of fish of all kinds were seen leaping out of the water, and apparently in a state of great alarm. At Algesiras the shock was felt more severely than in Gibraltar.  Here in the south the disturbance was greater than in the town – another argument in favour of the theory that the neighbourhood of the Straits was the part most affected.

 18 Aug 1936 – About 30 bullocks stampeded at Waterport Wharf, but the closing of Casemates Gates prevented their entering the town.

 18 Aug 1959 – The brand new, modern, 18,000 ton Shell tanker Asprella arrived in Gibraltar with her cargo of fresh water from Amsterdam. Although desalination plants had been in operation since 1953, on occasions when fresh water supplies were low it was customary to employ new oil tankers (on their maiden voyage before the tanks had been contaminated) to bring water from UK, Netherlands or Morocco, as a stopgap measure.

 18 Aug 1965 – General Sir Dudley Ward and Lady Ward left Gibraltar at the end of his tour as Governor.

 18 Aug 1971 – The Chronicle reports: because he thought the usual way from La Linea to Gibraltar too expensive (ie via Tangier) G.G.W. 24, bought an inner tube from a boy there and swam to eastern beach on Sunday. He was sound asleep in the Continental Hotel when the Police woke him on Monday. Yesterday he was allowed bail in the sum of £10 on surrender of his passport to the court. “I would like to work here for six weeks if I may” he said. Prosecuting Officer Supt. Balban said “He might, but investigations must be carried out first.”

 18 Aug 2004 – The death at a London ex-Serviceman’s Home, of Captain Bill Jewel, aged 90. Bill was wartime commander of HMS Seraph (see man who never was) See Apr 3oth.

 19 Aug 1800 – The Louisa was a famous American privateer out of Philadelphia, who held Letters of Marque against the French. She was armed with 12x six pounder guns but appeared to have 18; six of them being wooden (what the sailors called Quakers; that is very pacific) and had a crew of thirty. Several French lateen rigged gunboats sailed out of Algeciras and attacked the Louisa off Gibraltar. Her Captain, Thomas Hoggard, was shot through the shoulder and taken below by the 1st officer who returning on deck found that the crew had abandoned their posts and fled below. The French, observing this, prepared to board. The quick witted officer ran to the hatch and called his men to “take a last shot” at the  Frenchmen. The ruse had its desired effect and the men called to quarters discharged a withering fire on the French who had gathered on their bowsprit and forecastle ready to spring on board. Believing the apparent confusion in the Louisa was a ruse to tempt them to come to close quarters again, the French withdrew and the Louisa continued into Gibraltar where she was greeted by the throngs who had witnessed the affair from the Rock. Captain Hoggard was taken ashore at Gibraltar where he subsequently died.

 19 Aug 1870 - British Steamer R. Cobden ran into hulk Ellora, which then sank.

 19 Aug 1913 - Departure of Major Gen Thomas Perrott R.A. late acting Governor who had gained great popularity during the period he acted; he was given a hearty send off.

 19 Aug 1913 - Sir Herbert Miles sworn in as Governor; he became a very popular governor.

 19 Aug 1918 – Today saw the departure of H.E. the Governor Gen. Sir Herbert Miles and Lady Miles. The route being lined by Naval and Military and Gibraltar Volunteer Corps and various allied sailors.

 19 Aug 1925 - World War 1 memorial tablet (the work of Mr J R Povedano) was unveiled at Exchange Building by H.E. General Sir Charles Monro.

 19 Aug 1936 – A Government Notice was published about the retention of British Nationality by persons whose British Nationality is conditional upon the registration of their birth at a British Consulate.

 19 Aug 1941 – The Yeoward Line Aguila (3255GT) Capt. Arthur Firth, was on a voyage from Liverpool to Gibraltar and Lisbon with 91 passengers and general cargo as part of convoy OG 71, when she was torpedoed and sunk, by U201, in the Atlantic WSW of the Fastnet Rock. The master, 6 crew, 2 passengers and 1 naval staff were rescued by HMS Wallflower and landed at Gibraltar. Six crew, rescued by the tug Royal Oak were later lost when she too, was torpedoed on 22^nd Aug. by U564. In total; the convoy commander, 58 crew, 5 gunners, 4 naval staff and 89 passengers perished. Among the passengers there had been 22 WRNS who had volunteered for service on The Rock. Members of WRNS responded by volunteering a days pay each, to a memorial fund. Some £4000 was given for the building of a Black-Swan Class Sloop for convoy protection; which was launched in 1942. The balance was handed to the RNLI, which in 1951 named a new Liverpool Class lifeboat Aguila Wren.

 19 Aug 1982 – In a letter to the Chronicle, Italian Francesco Tullio reported that the Police Boat Gulloch had rescued some of the pacifists who had been harassed by the Spanish patrol boats as they swam toward Gibraltar on the17^th.  Apparently they (Spanish) pointed their boat at Tullio and stole his sack of clothing and documents, lassoed two girls – with soldiers grabbing their feet – and two Dutch pacifists were beaten and had their dinghy stolen. The pacifists accuse the Spanish authorities of ‘abuse of power, attempted drowning and illegally entering British waters.’

 19 Aug 1982 – Armed Forces Minister Peter Blaker cancelled his tour of the Naval Dockyard after being booed and jeered by workers protesting against its planned closure. When asked, at a Press Conference, if the closure was a way to push Gibraltar over to Spain, he replied: “Look back over the past five months to April 2^nd and the start of the Falklands crisis. Since then we have had 255 young men killed and 777 injured. This has happened to uphold the right to self-determination. I hope you will agree that it would be unlikely for us to reject this same principle now!”  (Don’t hold your breath... that would all change in 2002)

 19 Aug 2006 – Sharrock Shand workers digging in Engineer Lane, yesterday, discovered a human skeleton beneath some pipes. The RGP and the Museum were called in as first indications suggest the remains predate the 1900s. The bones were in the red sand beneath a pipe that was installed in 1914 and may in fact be an old burial. The bones will be treated with respect and examined by a forensics expert to determine age and any unusual features. 

 20 Aug 1972 – A strike began today at the Dockyard which developed into a general strike by the 22^nd when workers demanded better pay and conditions. Organised by the T&GWU, one of the concerns was the difference between Spanish workers - the lowest paid - Gibraltarian workers - only slightly better paid - and English contract workers who were on the top rate. For example, steel workers who were paid £5.80 a week were offered an 85p increase, which they saw as an insult. By way of comparison, British workers in UK earned between £20 and £30 a week, depending on skill level. The entire work force, private and public sectors, construction… everybody… joined the strike which concluded victoriously on the 26^th.

 20 Aug 1882 – Today saw the arrival of General Jose Maceo (and associates) leaders of the Cuban insurgents in their war of independence from Spain - seeking sanctuary in Gibraltar. They were taken first to the Police Station and then the Neutral Ground where they were handed over to the Spanish authorities on the instructions of Major Gen Robert Baynes, the Colonial Secretary. This flagrant breach of extradition law and the political stink that followed led to the Secretary of State for the Colonies ruling that the Colonial Sec and the Chief Inspector of Police should be dismissed immediately. After much pressure from the British Government, Maceo and friends were released on parole in February 1884.

 20 Aug every- The feast of St Bernard of Clairvaux, Patron saint of Gibraltar.

 20 Aug 1462 – Castilian forces captured Gibraltar (8^th Siege). An immediate dispute arose between the House of Medina Sidonia (Guzman family) and the House of Arcos (Ponce de Leon family). Finally the initiative of Alonso de Guzman (1^st Duke of Medina Sidonia) succeeded and he took Gibraltar as his personal possession. However, Henry IVth, King of Castille declared Gibraltar to be Crown property and not personal property of the Guzmans’. He restored the 1310 Charter, the lands belonging to Algeciras (destroyed 1369) were given to Gibraltar and the status of collegiate church was solicited from Pope Pius II and granted to the Parish Church of St Mary the Crowned.

 20 Aug 1900 - Captain Peter Johansen, a naturalised British subject, set sail from Gibraltar with his 12 year old son in their open boat Lotta (29'6" long, 7'6" beam) for Pine Island Florida. They arrived safely at Pine Island on 21st October.

 20 Aug 1927 – A recital was given by Mr Luis Lopez, on the splendid new organ recently erected in the Catholic Cathedral replacing the one which had been in use for the last 90 years.

 20 Aug 1932 – Strike by the coal-heavers was followed by the crane drivers. It would end on the 8th September.

 20 Aug 1934 – The publication in the Gibraltar Chronicle of the first of a series of very interesting articles by Mrs Helen Rait-Kerr entitled “Bird Life of Gibraltar”.

 20 Aug 1940 – The first enemy bomber was shot down: “The third bombing raid over Gibraltar occurred at 2330 and was picked up by searchlights at the moment of bomb release. It kept a steady course and AA fire was opened. The plane was hit and brought down in the straits.” (Taken from RGR’s history of the GDF.)

 20 Aug 1971- Air Vice Marshall KC Giddings, Chief of Staff HQ18 (Maritime) spent a 3 day visit to the Rock and presented a Gold Comstar award to Air Traffic Communications Centre;  this is their 7^th consecutive award, 6x gold 1x silver. 

 21 Aug 1853 – The second oldest bullring in Spain (after Ronda) was opened in San Roque with a two day fiesta. It was the result of three years work following the signing of an agreement at the San Roque office of notario Tarrago on the 3^rd July 1850. Of the 100 signatories, who agreed to subscribe 1000 Reales each, 73 were vecinos de San Roque and 37 were Gibraltarian. Pablo Larios and the Gibraltar residents were a part of this initiative, to transfer the corrida from the La Plaza de Armas to a purpose built Plaza de Toros.

 21 Aug 1882 – There was a fire at La Cruz Roja Club in Castle Road situated near some stables. The mules were removed but damage to the property was extensive. The fire was extinguished in 2 hours but the remainder of the roof and a tall brick chimney had to be demolished.

 21 Aug 1910 - Pope Pius Xth established the Diocese of Gibraltar.

 21 Aug 1918 - Strike by 1200 Spanish coal-heavers, whose cost of living (particularly food) had risen exponentially during the war, whilst their pay remained at a pre-war level. Most importantly they wanted recognition for their Trade Union, which private sector employers on the Rock refused. The Gibraltarians stayed at work, saying that they thought it ‘unpatriotic to go on strike whilst the country remained at war’. Interestingly, German agents attended the Union office in La Linea, offering money to prolong the strike. Accepting it would have compromised the Union and refusing it would suggest support for the British. So the agents were denounced and arrested by the Guardia Civil.

 21 Aug 1936 – (Sp Civ War) Around 135 refugees left for Malaga in a Spanish Government trawler; 100 having left previously.

 21 Aug 2005 – A Stone Bass weighing 122 lbs was caught today off Catalan Bay by Tony Ferro, Dino Parody and Francis Parody.

 22 Aug 1814 - Yellow Fever epidemic killed 246.

 22 Aug 1886 - British Steamer Woodlands, from Swansea, struck on La Perla and had to return to Gibraltar for repairs.

 22 Aug 1908 - Admiral Berryer, commanding a French squadron in Morocco visited RNH and presented medals etc to nursing staff for attending wounded French sailors ex-cruiser Jeanne d' Arc, in February last.   

 22 Aug 1942 – A Short S.25 Sunderland, Reg. W4029, of 202 Squadron, was returning to Gibraltar after a convoy mission and making a night approach. At around 0235 local time, the seaplane hit the water surface, exploded and disintegrated some 1000 yards offshore. Air Observer P.O. Kenneth Gordon Gray, the only survivor, was found seriously injured, the remaining eleven crew perished. Only two bodies were found on the 3^rd and 9^th September. The dead were P/O Colin Arthur Rimmington, pilot, Sgt Frederick D’Arcy Scott, pilot, F/Sgt James Michael Corcoran, pilot, Sgt Ernest Frederick Chaplain, flight engineer, Sgt George Form, and Wireless Op/Air Gunners, Sgt Cecil John Barrington, Sgt John Simpson Hay, Sgt Alan Morgan, Sgt Cecil James Lee, Sgt Harold Wallis, air gunner, Sgt Keith Adams.

 22 Aug 1972 - Gibraltar's first general strike started today.

 22 Aug 2003 – The telephone company Call Direct has closed down after 2 hard blows. Firstly they were obliged to pay an ‘access charge’ of £150,000 to Nynex under threat of having their circuits disconnected and now the Regulatory Authority has imposed a licence fee of £52,000. It is not clear why this amount has been specified since a similar licence in UK is £75 and in Spain around £3oo. The latest EU directive will do away with the need for any licence fee, as and when it is transposed into Gibraltar law.  

 23 Aug 1882 – Today saw the arrival of HRH Prince Mulai Drees Ben-Abd-el-Hadj.

 23 Aug 1890 - Sir Leicester Smythe appointed as governor.

 23 Aug 1919 – The British Workmen’s Federation demonstrated in the Alameda, protesting against the high price of food and other necessities and low rate of exchange from Sterling to Spanish currency.

 23 Aug 1936 – (SP Civ War) HM Ships Repulse and Codrington left hurriedly to provide assistance to Bland Liner Gibel Zerjon which had been interfered with by the Spanish Government cruiser Cervantes, whilst on a voyage to Melilla.

 23 Aug 1971 – Applications were invited to develop a 3 acre site adjacent to the Alameda gardens, overlooking the bay at an average 200’ altitude, with the expectation of a 150 years lease.

 23 Aug 2002 – Riggers today finally dismantled the mast which was closest to the position of the Devil’s Tower down at the Royal Navy Transmitters aerial farm at North front. The site of the Devil’s Tower had been marked with a plinth but that was destroyed more recently when a new housing development was constructed there.

 23 Aug 2005 – A sailor aboard the German mine-hunter RGS Homburg (M1069) died today in a diving accident in the bay. It is believed that he ascended involuntarily when his life jacket inflated at depth. He was given first aid on deck and then rushed to RNH but medics were unable to revive him. A Luftwaffe Hercules arrived next day with a German military team. Captain of the Homburg, Lt-Commander Michael Gierahn expressed his gratitude to BF Gibraltar; “I am very grateful for the swift and professional assistance made on our behalf during this difficult time”. The Convent and BFG flew flags at half mast as a mark of respect for the dead sailor.

 24 Aug 1415 – After two years preparation and a Papal Bull, a crusade was launched against the Muslim stronghold and trading centre of Ceuta. The purpose of the crusade was to ensure that Muslims in Africa could not assist of their brethren in Spain, whilst that country’s Islamic state was being dismantled. The well-armed Portuguese armada, supported by a contingent of English archers, easily overwhelmed the Muslims. Within a day the Crusaders had taken Ceuta, ransacking the city and piling the streets with Muslim dead; the city was left ‘profitless’.

 24 Aug 1813 – Sailed today, His Majesties Ship Savage, Capt. Bisset, a 16 gun brig-sloop of the Seagull class, convoying 8 ships via Cadiz on 28^th, to the UK; where they arrived on 14^th September. Captain Bisset was dismissed the navy, two years later, after grounding on Rock North, Guernsey. He was charged with navigating too far south and neglecting the lead line.

 24 Aug 1827 – Extract of a letter from the Agent to Lloyds at Gibraltar; “On the 24^th instant between 12 and 2 in the afternoon, the British Xebec Lord Rawdon, belonging to this place, whilst coming to an anchor from a voyage in the Mediterranean, a Spanish mistico fired and bore down upon her, upon perceiving which, the Lord Rawdon, although within gunshot of the garrison, being then close in with the ships in anchorage, tacked and stood in a S.E. course, to get nearer the walls for better protection, but was followed and fired at by the mistico, and two others which were in company. A shot having broken the Lord Rawdon’s main yard, the mainsail was rendered useless, when she was boarded by two of her pursuers, with her British colours flying, opposite the King’s Bastion, and as soon as they secured their prize stood across the Bay, and had made considerable progress when the batteries here opened on them. After they had all got clear of the fire, they sailed for the westward, supposed for Cadiz.”  A mistico was a boat frequently used by privateers, it was similar to a felucca with decked hull, long and low, usually between 20 – 40 tons.

 24 Aug 1865 - Land communication with Spain closed for 13 weeks as a result of the Cholera outbreak commenced on 6th.

 24 Aug 1899 – The Manchester Regiment, numbering around 1000 men, sailed out of Gibraltar for Cape Town.

 24 Aug 1940 – Some 927 Spanish and Catalan republican refugees, who had fled to Angouleme in France for refuge from Franco’s dictatorship, were shipped by train to Mauthausen concentration camp in Germany. France had been divided by the Germans and the Vichy French did not want these supposed communists amongst them. Franco’s Secretary of State (and brother in law) Ramon Suner told Hitler; “you can do what you want with those red ones because the new mother country does not consider them Spaniards.”  Separated on arrival, some were put to work in the stone quarry, some were sent on to a female camp and on the first day the director of Mauthausen, Frank Ziereis, told them that they would not go out through the door but through the chimney of the crematorium.  These were the first group of people to be experimented on (benzene injections to the heart, etc) and some 409 were exterminated. This was before the Jews and Gypsies were exposed to the same cruelty… the Spanish refugees were the first.

 24 Aug 1944 – P.M. Winston Churchill caused a signal to be sent to Gibraltar expressing anxiety over disquieting rumours concerning the welfare of the Barbary apes and directing that every effort should be made to restore the dwindling number of apes to 24 and that this number should be maintained thereafter.

 24 Aug 1962 – His Worship the Mayor, J A Hassan, opened the new Catalan Bay road to the public. The work was to continue until the end of the year, but a single carriageway was opened to facilitate the traffic to Catalan Bay and Sandy Bay for the bathing and tourist season. (Joshua was knighted a year later.)

 24 Aug 1967 – The new archway at Southport Gate was officially opened by His Worship the Mayor, Sir Joshua Hassan.

 24 Aug 1971 – Joe Sanders retired after 42 years with the D of E. He had started in 1929 as a 13 year-old boy mason on 2p per hour, rising to Civilian Clerk of Works. He recalled tasks such as converting Arengo’s Palace into an Officers Mess in WW2.

 24 Aug 1982 – J.G. appeared in court charged with placing a suitcase by the frontier gates with the intention of making a Police Officer believe there was a bomb. The case was adjourned (no pun) and J.G. remanded in custody.

 24 Aug 1982 – The Editorial Board of ‘Gibraltar Libre’ announced a temporary closure caused by the withdrawal, at very short notice, of their printing and office facilities.

 24 Aug 1982 – Arthur Charles Valerian Wellesley, 37, Marquis de Douro (and shameless descendant of Wellington), proposed on BBC TV, the sharing of the Rock’s sovereignty between the Queen of England and the King of Spain... “who is, after all, a descendant of Queen Victoria.” “The three flags would be flown on The Rock and the Gibraltarians would have full British and Spanish nationality. My plan would not take anything away from the Gibraltarians and at the same time bring Britain and Spain closer together” he said. “With Spain already in NATO and progressing towards EEC entry, there is a growing need to eliminate the Gibraltar rift in Anglo-Spanish relations” declared the myopic peer. 

 24 Aug 1998 – To celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the discovery of the Gibraltar Skull at Forbes Quarry, Brownie Ltd. will be minting a limited-edition sterling silver ingot. Did it ever happen? I have yet to see one.

 24 Aug 2002 – An earthquake was reported in the Malaga area last night. It registered 2.5 on the Richter scale and was barely significant enough for Canal Sur to report it… after the football, as an afterthought.

 24 Aug 2002 – A Norwegian diesel-electric attack submarine arrived in Gibraltar today.

 25 Aug 1580 - Spanish troops invaded Portugal; one result being that Ceuta was taken from the Portuguese and became Spanish.

 25 Aug 1843 – The USS Missouri, a 10 gun side-wheel frigate and the first steam vessel in the US Navy, arrived in Gibraltar, carrying the Hon. Mr Cushing proceeding via Alexandria en-route to China, as minister. She was to suffer a catastrophic fire just a day later.

 25 Aug 1891 - Steamer Utopia left under tow by tug for Glasgow.

 25 Aug 1894 - Previous versions of the Merchant Shipping Act were consolidated into new version in which Section 634 made Trinity House the Lighthouse Authority for Gibraltar.

 25 Aug 1916 - Tobacco duty was 2 and 1/2 d per pound.

 25 Aug 1934 – P.O. Eric W Brewer swam to Algeciras in 3hrs 24minutes.

 25 Aug 1936 – The Italian cruiser Gorizia, badly damaged off Tangier as a result of an explosion, was towed and docked in Gibraltar by Dockyard Tugs Rollicker and Energetic.

 25 Aug 1939 – Anticipating the imminent declaration of war (28^thAug) Police authorities have ordered all foreign musicians, dancers and workers in Gibraltar cafes and cabarets to quit the territory. All Italians, with the exception of the Consul, have been requested to leave Gibraltar.

 25 Aug 1950 – The first ever Guard Mount at the Convent by the G.D.F. was inspected by the Governor.

 25 Aug 1966 – Indian Mihir Sen became the first Asian man to swim the Strait of Gibraltar, entering the sea near Tarifa at 7.15 am and landing near Ceuta at 3.16 pm. His bid to start from Gibraltar was quashed by Spanish authorities in Madrid who refused him permission to touch at Ceuta if he had swum from here.

 25 Aug 1971 – Air Commodore Charles E Ness, accompanied by his wife and son, arrives tomorrow to take up his appointment as Air Commanding Gibraltar. He takes over from Group Captain RJH Uprichard on September 2^nd.

 25 Aug 1971 – Dr H.W. Howes, former Director of Education 1944 –49, arrived for a visit today. During his five year tenure he researched the origins of the people of the Rock and wrote; The Gibraltarian. He is also author of The Story of Gibraltar and since 1963 has been Honorary Historical Advisor to the GoG as well as giving over 4000 talks and lectures about The Rock, worldwide.

 26 Aug 1818 – H.E. Sir George Don opened the new Exchange.

 26 Aug 1843 – The American steam frigate USS Missouri’s coal caught fire and she burned to the water’s edge; the whole Rock being illuminated as in daytime. It took only four hours for her to be reduced to a blackened hulk and at 0320 next day her forward powder magazine exploded. Through the exertions of British men-of-war her crew were saved. The splendid American steamship was just two years old. Subsequently, her contents were found to include bilboes and slave shackle bars. The ship’s captain John Newton was court marshalled and suspended from the service, but two years later his remaining suspension was remitted by President Tyler.

 26 Aug 1855 – Today saw the departure of H.E. General Sir Robert Gardiner. During his tenure of the office of Governor, there was marked friction between the government and merchants leading to undignified wrangling with the Exchange Committee who represented the civil population. Lobbying by Manchester Chamber of Commerce resulted in a deputation from Gibraltar visiting England to lay before the Crown the hardships of the people of Gibraltar.

 26 Aug 1865 – A draft Sanitary Order in Council was issued, providing for the appointment of Sanitary Commissioners and defining their duties.

 26 Aug 1870 - A piece of plate and an address were delivered to HE and Lady Airey by a deputation of local merchants; LCs.

 26 Aug 1934 – The death occurred of Mr Arthur de C Rivers, J.P.

 26 Aug 1936 – (SP Civ War) The Spanish Government munitions ship El Montecillo was captured by Nationalists and taken to Ceuta.

 26 Aug 1936 – (Sp Civ War) Spanish Government war vessels shelled Punta Carnero and Ceuta, fire being returned by shore batteries and aerial attacks by Nationalist aircraft.

 26 Aug 1936 – (Sp Civ War) Rio Tinto mines was captured by the Nationalists.

 26 Aug 1936 – (SP Civ War) About 200 refugees left for Malaga in Spanish Government feluccas.

 26 Aug 1936 – The death occurred of Mr Alfred R. Imossi.

 26 Aug 1936 – Commander G.A. Garnons-Williams RN was nominated City Councillor vice Commander I.W. Whitehorn.

 26 Aug 1936 – Rear Admiral K. Paladini, of the Italian cruiser Gorizia, paid an official call on H.E. the Governor.

 26 Aug 1960 – A deputation of about 50 or 60 people, mostly women, some carrying small children, marched to the Governor’s residence bearing a banner that was inscribed “Seventeen years of Nissen huts is enough.”  These people had come from the Nissen hut sites at North Front and the Isolation Hospital to see the Governor over the recent allocation of new flats, announced the previous day. A few days later the Governor, Sir Charles Keightley, inspected the appalling conditions in which people were living in the Nissen huts and promised the tenants that they would be out from there between eight and seventeen months time.

 27 Aug 1793 - Inauguration of the Garrison Library took place today.

 27 Aug 1804 - All land and sea communication with Spain stopped as malignant fever (yellow fever) is reported to have broken out at Malaga, with 100 - 120 people dying daily. It was also ordered that no-one should converse with Spaniards on the neutral ground and fishermen were forbidden from fishing that area. However all precautions were in vain (lack of basic public health facilities) Gibraltar sustained a major epidemic in which 5,946 out of a population of 15,000 died. The yellow fever epidemic continued until cooler weather in Sept/Oct.  An epidemic had occurred in Cadiz some 3 – 4 years earlier and yellow fever was to recur in Gibraltar in 1813, 1814 and 1828.

 27 Aug 1816 – An Anglo-Dutch fleet, under the command of Lord Exmouth, (Sir Edward Pellew) bombarded ships and harbour defences at Algiers, in an attempt to persuade Omar Agha, the Dey of Algiers to abandon the practice of piracy against European vessels by the Barbary States. In particular, their specific aim was to stop the practice of enslaving Europeans. To this end it was partially successful, the Dey releasing 3000 slaves after the bombardment and signing a treaty against slavery of Europeans. However the practice did not stop entirely; whilst the white slave trade died out, there are still black slaves (Abids) in Morocco, for example, today. Morocco ranks 29^th in the world with an estimated 158,00 slaves. (2014).

 27 Aug 1936 – HMS Arrow brought refugees from Alicante and the USS Oklahoma brought refugees from various Spanish ports.

 27 Aug 1936 – The Royal Calpe Hunt Pony Club held a gymkhana.

 27 Aug 1938 – (Sp Civ War) Just after midnight Republican destroyer Jose Luiz Diez, arrived after a battle with the nationalist Canarias, just eight miles SE of Europa Point. A 203mm shell had struck one of her engine compartments forcing her to seek refuge in Gibraltar Harbour. Her dead and wounded were unloaded and the dead buried at sea by the RN, next day. In all she was to remain here for four months. 

 27 Aug 1956 – A Meteor F8 jet, WK985, of 608 Squadron Crashed 6 miles SE of Ceuta, Spanish Morocco, after the pilot baled out following engine failure.

 27 Aug 1968 - 300 T&GWU members marched in silent demonstration as a protest at some provisions of the Marsh Report.

 27 Aug 1982 – With the arrival of the winter crops, the price of potatoes has dropped to £1.10 for a three-kilo bag, or 36p a kilo sold loose.

 27 Aug 1982 – A farewell presentation was made to HE Gen Sir William Jackson by Lt Col Ernest Britto as HE was dined out by the Gibraltar Regiment Officers Mess. The gift was a statue of a Port Sergeant carrying the keys to the city, mounted on a piece of the Rock and was made by Henry Massetti and Charles Anes.

 28 Aug 1783 – The Garrison Library was inaugurated… and nearly 220 years later we were allowed in.

 28 Aug 1815 – The American merchant ship Commerce, having left Gibraltar several days beforehand bound for Cape Verde, found herself in thick fog and ran aground off Cape Bojador, Morocco. After being attacked and ransacked by Saharaoui natives, with one man killed in cold blood, Captain James Riley and his remaining 10 crew, returned to their rowboat and put to sea hoping to make Cape Verde or be picked up by another ship. Hunger and dehydration forced them to land some 200 miles further south, near Cape Barbas, where they were captured and enslaved by nomads of the Oulad Bou Sbaa tribe. Their story of extreme dehydration, severe starvation and constant brutality (including drinking their own and camels’ urine) whilst roaming the Sahara with their captors, ended in Mogador (now Essaouira) where British merchant William Willshire bought their freedom.

 28 Aug 1855 - Lt-General Sir James Ferguson assumed command for the next four years.

 28 Aug 1873 – The foundation stone for Public Baths was laid with great cerem­ony by the Governor General Sir WF Williams of Kars.  The work had been undertaken by the Sanitary Commissioners, designed by Edward Roberts (Engineer to S. C.) and executed by contractors Messrs TR Key and W Weir.

 28 Aug 1873 - Arrival of a Spanish Squadron under Rear-Admiral Lobo, comprising the Carmen, Cuidad de Cadiz and Colon, from Santa Paola. It arrived in connection with the surrender of the Spanish Frigates Almansa and Vitoria which had been rescued by Admiral Yelverton from the ‘intransigentes’ at Cartegena.

 28 Aug 1892 - Ordinance published authorising the raising of a loan for the supply of electric lighting and other purposes. Work was eventually completed in 1897 with the construction of the Central Generating Station, various sub-stations and cable ducts, wiring of buildings and erection of street lamps. By the end of the century much of Gibraltar had converted from gas to electricity.

 28 Aug 1900 – 16^th C. Moorish gold-coins were found during the excavation for the dockyard. 

 28 Aug 1917 - General Sir William Jackson was born.

 28 Aug 1919 – HRH the Crown Prince of Denmark & Prince Knud arrived in the Danish cruiser Valkyrien.

 28 Aug 1927 – Broadcast concerts were relayed on to the Alameda and Line Wall during the stay of Sgr. Marconi’s yacht Elettra.

 28 Aug 1934 – The death occurred in Dublin of the Reverend Mother Ermenilda Gleeson, who had taught children at Loreto Convent for 45 years.

 28 Aug 1936 – The death occurred of Mrs H. Lees.

 28 Aug 1969 – The Ceremonial opening of House of Assembly took place today.

 28 Aug 1980 - Gibraltar had to endure power cuts.

 28 Aug 1985 – The commissioning of the RN Gibraltar Squadron took place; the only resident sea-going RN unit on the Rock. Two vessels, HMS Sunderland and HMS Stirling were renamed HMS Cormorant and Hart respectively and served until 1991 when they were replaced by Ranger and Trumpeter.

 28 Aug 2002 – A sulphur leak at the Cepsa refinery led to the emergency closure of one of the chemical processing plants in Los Barrios. A small cloud of sulphur burst into flames in the early hours of the morning and the refinery’s fire service was called to the scene to tackle the blaze. There was no injury or damage but considerable consternation.

 29 Aug 1462 - Spain finally drove out the Moors from Gibraltar.

 29 Aug 1783 - (Gt Sge) Inces' Gallery attained a length of 200yds. (not feet)

 29 Aug 1793 – The French fifth rate frigate L’Aurore (220 men, 36 guns, Rochefort 1768) was handed over at Toulon by French royalists and a month later she was commissioned into the British Navy to become an unrated prison ship. From March 1795 she was employed as a prison ship at Gibraltar before being withdrawn and broken up in 1803.

 29 Aug 1847 – Arrived today; of the USN wooden-hulled, schooner-rigged, revenue cutter the Roger B. Taney, along with sloop-of-war Marion and the steamer Princeton. America was at war with Mexico and determined that no Mexican letter-of-marque privateers should appear in the Mediterranean. The Taney remained at Gibraltar until 22 August 1849.

29 Aug 1873 – An Order was issued preventing unauthorised persons from living here.

 29 Aug 1924 – The Coroner was given the discretionary power of holding inquests without a jury and reducing the number of jurors from 12 to 7.

 29 Aug 1936 – Command Aquatic Sports day was held at H.M. Dockyard. Mrs Pipon presented the prizes and H.E. the Governor made a speech. (see also 5^th Sept 1936)

 29 Aug 1936 – (Sp Civ War) Another batch of refugees left for Malaga in feluccas; around 700 have left to date.

 29 Aug 1936 – The Med. Rowing Club won the 2^nd competition for the Gibraltar Merchants Challenge Cup.

 29 Aug 1939 - WW2 - Anti-aircraft cruiser Coventry departed Gibraltar for Malta.

 29 Aug 1959 – Today saw the passing out parade of the 21st intake of Gibraltar Regiment.

 29 Aug 2001 – 4 people died and 25 were injured when a CASA CN-235 turboprop of Binter Mediterraneo (flight 8261) from Melilla to Malaga crashed at Malaga airport. The aircraft came down against the embankment of the N340 main road some 200 metres short of runway 32. One of the 44 passengers said that one of the engines was seen to stop and the pilot was attempting an emergency landing. In fact, a warning light showed a fire in the port engine; it was a false alarm. The first officer mistakenly operated the fire handles for port and starboard engines, shutting both down. The remains of the plane were taken to CASA Sevilla for investigation and the tail section is now exhibited in the Museo del Transporte Aero de Malaga.

 30 Aug 1540 - Gibraltar sacked by Turkish (Algerine) pirates or 9^th September; depending on which calendar you use.

 30 Aug 1763 – Cadiz, by letters from Gibraltar, of the 26^th, we learnt that a polacre belonging to Leghorn, and a French vessel, are taken by the Corsairs of Tetuan; the latter, which was homeward bound from Smyrna, with a valuable cargo of cotton, silk, beeswax, etc. was carried into Tunis. The Complaisance, Capt. La Maignere, belonging to Bayonne, bound to Port au Prince, with provisions and having on board 18 men and three passengers, is taken by another Barbary Corsair and carried into Sassry. The Salletines have likewise carried into St Croix in Barbary, another vessel with thirty men on board; but neither her voyage nor her cargo is known.

 30 Aug 1860 - Payment of part of the Moorish War Indemnity to the Spanish Royal Commission was made at the Moorish Consulate in Gibraltar.

 30 Aug 1865 - Public meeting to establish relief by the provision of soup, meat and bread to the distressed and to raise subscriptions for a Public Relief Fund during the continuance of the Sanitary Cordon whilst the fever raged in Spain. It is believed that 572 deaths were recorded.

 30 Aug 1936 – (Sp Civ War) Punta Carnero was once again shelled by a Spanish Government war vessel.

 30 Aug 1940 – (Force H) The brand new armoured aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious and a powerful escort left Gibraltar. Although her air group was small (15 fighters and 18 bombers) Illustrious was one of the first warships to be fitted with air-warning radar which gave her a big advantage in fleet defence as she could detect and track hostile aircraft giving her aircraft time to gain altitude. With both Illustrious and Eagle under his command Cunningham now took the offensive.

 30 Aug 1958 – The Gibraltar Defence Force (GDF) became the Gibraltar Regiment.

 30 Aug 1962 – H.M. King Hassan of Morocco with his wife and recently born child, arrived in Gibraltar.

 30 Aug 1971 – The Upper Galleries are closed today and tomorrow to allow the 1^st attempt to climb the North Face of the Rock, by a four man ITN/Thames TV team led by famous climbers Martin Boysen, Henry Day R.E. and Mick Burke.

 30 Aug 1971 – The Chief Minister, Major Bob Peliza and Deputy Fortress Commander Brigadier Nigel Birbeck were at the foot of the North Face to see the climbers off at 0930. By 1530 they had reached the Upper Galleries (approx 600’) and expect to resume around 0930 tomorrow to tackle the difficult 200’ overhang, and then continue on to Rock Gun. 

 31 Aug 1971 – After the ITN interview at the summit, the Chief Minister presented the team with Gibraltar plaques. Henry Day returned to serve on the Rock twenty years later.

 31 Aug 1436 - Spaniards raised the siege of Gibraltar.

 31 Aug 1761 – There was an earthquake in Lisbon delivering a shock and sea disturbance.

 31 Aug 1889 – Some 900 emigrants, 160 of whom were children, arrived in Gib en route to the Argentine Republic. During their short stay they were provided with food and drink.

 31 Aug 1934 - Publication of telegrams exchanged in connection with engagement of HRH Prince George and Princess Marina of Greece.

 31 Aug 1936 – (Sp Civ War) The Nationalist gunboat Eduardo Dato was provisionally repaired at Algeciras.

 31 Aug 1940 - Compulsory military service began.

 31 Aug 1954 – The new 2000 ton Gibraltar-Tangier ferry, Mons Calpe, arrived from the UK and was expected to go into service within the next few days. Around 1000 people were at Waterport Wharf to witness her arrival. The vessel is 283 ft long with a beam of 48 ft and draught of 17 ft. She is capable of carrying 600 people and some 70 motor cars. The dining room seats 110 at small tables where hot and cold meals are served. There are two bars in the saloon, a lounge and a cocktail bar seating around 52.

 31 Aug 1971 – Over the Bank Holiday weekend, three climbers, Martin Boysen, Mick Burke and Henry Day RE, commenced the first ascent of the North Front, completing the climb the following day. A year earlier Boysen had formed part of Chris Bonnington’s team conquering Annapurna and several years later he and Joe Brown made the first ascent of Trango tower. Mick Burke died on the 1975 assault on Everest SW face. Henry Day survived to repeat the North Front climb once again with Mario Balloqui, in the 1990s. 

 31 Aug 1982 – We had a visit from Air Marshall Sir Edward Chilton, former O.C. RAF Gibraltar during the 1950s. Whilst here, he stated that North Front was a vital link, along with Ascension, during the Falklands Conflict. Just incidentally, Chilton Court was named after him.

31 Aug 2016 – A previously confidential 1984 British government paper on the future of Gibraltar following the opening of the frontier with Spain is made public today for the first time. The eight page paper lays out plans; ‘to wean Gibraltar from traditional patterns of thought’ and prepare its inhabitants for the ‘inevitability of change.’

                                                                             ~~~

 Aug 1753 – A ball of fire passed over the Rock from west to east almost turning night into day. It then burst with a loud bang, scattering sparks in all directions and then plunging the town in to darkness for over a minute.

 Aug 1814 - A yellow fever epidemic struck. Though not nearly as devastating as last year’s loss of 1400 it nevertheless took around 100 military and 100 civilian lives. Amongst those who died were the 23 year-old wife of Major Smith R.A., the eldest daughter of Brig. Gen. Sir Charles Holloway, Mr. Sheppard, Asst. Commissary, Captain Douse R.A. recently married and Mr Bower, Merchant. It subsequently took Dr and Mrs Waters, who were buried in one grave and James eldest son of Rev. J Barton, rector of Aldingham, Lancs.

 Aug 1822 – The Buenos Ayrean ship of war Heroine has been captured by a Portuguese frigate and carried into Gibraltar.

 Aug 1826 – The English Government at Gibraltar has offered to all Spaniards, whether refugees in England and Gibraltar, or employed under the Cortes, and now under surveillance, to facilitate their entrance into Portugal. 

 Aug 1839 – Ensign Fullarton of the 48^th Regiment went down to the officers’ bathing sheds, for the purpose of bathing. As it was the heat of the day there was not any person down there. Mr Fullarton lost hold of the rope and could not swim. Corporal Froggatt, being on gate duty above, saw Mr Fullarton struggling in the water. He instantly jumped down, plunged into the sea, and saved him. Mr Fullarton, when rescued, was quite insensible.

 Aug 1873 – H.E. Sir William F. Williams of Kars laid foundation stone for Public Baths.

 Aug 1894 – Saw the promulgation of Colonial Hospital Amendment Ordinance.

 Aug 1908 - Britain informs Spain of intent to erect frontier fence.

 Aug 1911 - Return of census taken on 2nd April. This showed a population of 25,367 compared with 27,640 in 1901.

 Aug 1914 – Today saw the outbreak of World War 1.

 Aug 1914 – Gibraltar had 160 hospital beds with the provision for this to be expanded by utilising barracks; by September a maximum number of 987 beds were available.

 Aug 1921 - Meteor shower observed: "Sky alive with falling stars".

 Aug 1936 - City Council Reservoir No 8 completed with a capacity of 1M gallons; it had taken only 18 months to build.

 Aug 1963 - The RAOC closed its store and handed the building over to the dockyard.

 Aug 1966 - Some 2,062 Spanish female workers were withdrawn from Gibraltar, because; "Gibraltarian men abused and took advantage of them." according to the generalissimo.

 Aug 1997 – Ownership of The Mount was transferred from MoD to the Gibraltar Government, at no cost. The government has extensive plans for the house and gardens and Chief Mini Peter Caruana is said to be taking a special interest in it. Still waiting 2017…. Now in hand GoG 2024.

Aug 2004 - Gibraltar celebrated 300 years of British rule. Spanish officials labelled this as the celebration of 300 years of British occupation. Despite this, Gibraltar celebrated it Tercentenary with a number of events on 4th August, including the population encrcling the Rock holding hands and granting the Freedom of the City to the Royal Navy.