In 1971 Commander Alan Shepard became the first human to play golf on the moon. Commander Alan Shepard , Command Module Pilot Stuart Roosa and Lunar Module Pilot Edgar Mitchell took off from the United States on the 31st of January 1971 as part of the Luna 14 mission. Shepard and Mithcell landed on the 5th of February while Roosa continued in orbit of the moon collecting data. Commander Shepard had hidden the club head and balls in his space suit. He then made the club using the smuggled head and hit the two balls which flew for miles.
In 1964 United Kingdom and French governments announced their commitment to build the world’s largest underwater tunnel linking England and France. The idea was originally proposed in 1802 but the technology and resources were not available at the time. On this day in 1964, however both governments agreed that it would be feasible, but they had not given any indication of when work would start. It was not until 1988 when work on the tunnel began and it was not complete until 1994 (although the two sides of the tunnel met on the 1st of December 1990).
In 1958 a plane crashed in Munich killing 22 people including eight of Manchester United’s most talented players. The British European Airways flight left the airport in Munich, Germany after refuelling; during a long flight back to England from Yugoslavia when the plane caught alight shortly after take off. The plane was returning the team, British sports Journalist, and club officials back from a European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade. Roger Byrne, Mark Jones, Eddie Colman, Tommy Taylor, Liam Whelan, David Pegg, Geoff Bent and later Duncan Edwards were the players that died along with 8 journalists and several team officials. The players of Manchester united were known as the Busby Babes’ after manager Matt Busby who survived the crash but suffered multiple injuries.
In 1952 his Majesty King George VI of Great Britain and N. Ireland dies in his sleep. HRH Princess Elizabeth becomes Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as well as the head of state for the Commonwealth. She is not crowned until the 2nd of June 1953.
In 1649 Charles II was proclaimed King of England, Scotland and Ireland by the Scottish on this day in 1649. This came after his father King Charles I was tried for treason and executed by parliament. The English government stated that this proclamation of King Charles the II was unlawful and England remained a republic under Oliver Cromwell until 1660, when Charles II returned to England and restored the monarchy. He executed all involved in his father’s death, for Regicide.
