On this day...... 2 August

1295: A squadron of French galleys, built at great expense by imported Mediterranean shipbuilders at a new naval base at Rouen, raided Dover and burnt part of the town.

1900: During an action with Boers, a sergeant from the Royal Berkshire Regiment fell wounded in the open.  Private House left the safety of a position in cover to run through the enemy fire to his aid.  Carrying the man back, House was himself severely wounded, but he insisted comrades remain in cover and eventually managed to get himself and the sergeant back to safety.  he received the Victoria Cross.

1917: Squadron Commander E H Dunning of the Royal Naval Air Service made the first ever aircraft landing on a moving ship, setting his Sopwith Pup down on the deck of the modified battlecruiser HMS Furious, steaming at 26 knots.  No arrestor system had as yet been conceived, and Dunning's landing was assisted by crew members seizing toggles on the aircraft as it touched down.  Sadly, Dunning was killed five days later on 7 August when attempting a similar landing - the aircraft stalled and was blown over the side of the ship - but he had proved that it was possible.  Further modifications were made to increase Furious' flight deck, making her in due course the first effective fleet aircraft carrier.

1940: Sporadic Luftwaffe raids continued, mainly against shipping.  The day's events are recorded on the RAF's Battle of Britain website.

1943: The Battle of Hamburg ended with Bomber Command's fourth attack on the city within a week.  The already devastated city was largely spared further damage that night thanks to the weather: the force of 740 bombers encountered an appalling thunderstorm over northern Germany.  At least four bombers are known to have been brought down by ice, turbulence or lightning, and another 26 failed to return, some of which may also have been victims of the weather rather than German defences.

1990: Iraq invaded Kuwait, forcing in due course a huge coalition campaign to liberate the country.