In 1903, a British navy drill off Corfu ended disastrously when HMS Orwell collided with HMS Pioneer during a night exercise.
Tag: United Kingdom
I don’t know where to start. I was born in the UK, and having lived there briefly, I have a particular affinity for the country that I cannot just explain in mere words.
London, to start off with, is one of those places that never fails to thrill or disappoint. The capital is huge and sometimes unwieldy. But every time I visited, I found myself wandering the streets smiling at the simple pleasure of being there. Theatre, clubs, dining, sights – take your pick.
I’ve had the opportunity to explore the calmer environs of Kent and Suffolk too. Both are more countryside than city. Both are also different because is a relaxed charm about Kent which exists in Suffolk as rural relaxation.
The rest of England is shrouded in my mind in a fog that is a mixture of valiant knights, Dickensian life and The Wind in the Willows. I will return and explore the country because I want this fog to be burnt up by the light of discovery as I weave my way across the British Isles.
United Kingdom Articles, by region
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On 11 September 1944, a massive, intense air battle took place over the mountains between Germany and what was then Czechoslovakia. The memory of this battle is still alive today.
In Famagusta, Cyprus, there is a building that used to be a cathedral dedicated to St Nicholas. It saw major events of the country’s history and is now a mosque.
Mentioning exiled Russians these days suggests pro-Ukrainian protesters or anti-Putin demonstrators. Malta’s reputation as a haven for Russians goes back more than 100 years before Putin’s antics.
Many countries have memorials to fallen heros, and stories of bravery from wartime. Czechia is unusual in that it has heros from both sides of World War II.
In the 19th century, various states on the Italian peninsula united to become a single, new country. While some papal states merged with the others, the Vatican refused to be under the control of an earthly ruler. It even considered moving the seat of the Holy See to Malta.
During World War II, Prague wasn’t as affected by bombing as many other European cities were. This was because planes didn’t have the range to reach Prague, and also because the Allies had more important targets in mind. This article describes the few Allied bombings of Prague, which happened towards the end of the war.
In the 19th century an offshore British bank in Malta issued its own banknotes. It’s unusual to think of a private company issuing banknotes, more so in a small country like Malta. This article explains why this bank did so and why it was in Malta.
British forces fought wars all over India in the 18th and 19th century. Between tribal feuds, and the British, there were many sources of conflict. This article describes the Battle of Ferozeshah, and its small connection to Malta.
European geopolitics in the 1930s caused plenty of uncertainty. The British worried about riots in the Middle East, and the possibility of another major war with Germany. They hatched a secret plan to reinforce Malta’s money supply in case of war.