On this day...... 29 August

1350: The English fleet under Edward III and the Black Prince defeated Spanish ships in the Channel off Winchelsea, some forty to fifty English ships surprising 47 large Castilian vessels returning home from Flanders where they had been raiding English shipping.  This may have been the first naval battle in which cannons were used, albeit very early types of bombard.  The navigational dangers of combat in open waters in the ships of the period were marked - King Edward's ship, the Cog Thomas, collided with its target and suffered fatal damage, but the crew managed to board and overwhelm the Castilian, returning safely in their prize.  The Black Prince's ship, also reduced to a sinking condition by collision with its target, was rescued by the Earl of Derby's vessel.  Although most of the Castilian ships were captured and their crews killed, English casualties were also high, and sufficient other French and Castilian ships remained operational in the Channel to pose significant risks to English commerce.

1915: During a Turkish attack at Gallipoli, Second Lieutenant Throssell of the Australian Light Horse suffered severe multiple wounds.  Nevertheless, he refused to leave his position for medical treatment, remaining in command of his unit until the enemy had been driven off.  He received the Victoria Cross.

1918: During a tank attack on the Western Front, a British Whippet tank was set on fire and fell into a shell-hole, lying at such an angle that the hatch could not be opened.  Lieutenant Sewell, commanding the section, left his own tank and ran over to help the trapped crew.  He ignored heavy enemy fire to dig away the earth around the hatch.  He was finally able to free the crew, but was himself killed shortly afterwards.  He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.

1939: The Fleet was mobilised, against the possibility of war with Germany.

1940: The Luftwaffe waited until the afternoon before mounting a major effort.   The day's events are recorded on the RAF's Battle of Britain website.

1942: During heavy fighting in Papua New Guinea, Japanese troops broke through the line held by 2/14th (Victoria) Battalion.  One of the survivors of the overrun position, Private Kingsbury, joined a reserve platoon in the counter-attack, and, with complete disregard for his own safety, charged the enemy firing his Bren Gun from the hip. He inflicted very heavy casualties and the Japanese fell back.  However, as Kingsbury stopped to rest, he fell victim to a sniper.  He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.