Today in News History

On July 1, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1690, Glorious Revolution: Battle of the Boyne in Ireland (as reckoned under the Julian calendar). In 1916, World War I: First day on the Somme: On the first day of the Battle of the Somme 19,000 soldiers of the British Army are killed and 40,000 wounded. In 1924, The National War Memorial for the Dominion of Newfoundland was inaugurated by Field Marshall Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig in St. John's, Newfoundland. The date commemorates the first day of the Battle of the Somme, where at Beaumont-Hamel, 86 percent of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was wiped out. In 1940, Craig Brown, Scottish footballer and manager (died 2023) was born. In 1961, Diana, Princess of Wales (died 1997) was born. In 1965, Garry Schofield, English rugby player and coach was born. In 1972, The first Gay pride march in England takes place. In 1990, German reunification: East Germany accepts the Deutsche Mark as its currency, thus uniting the economies of East and West Germany. In 1997, China resumes sovereignty over the city-state of Hong Kong, ending 156 years of British colonial rule. The handover ceremony is attended by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Charles, Prince of Wales, Chinese President Jiang Zemin and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. In 2007, Smoking in England is banned in all public indoor spaces. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.