On this day...... 3 August

1692: During the Nine Years War, William III led a Dutch and English army against the French at Steenkirk.  He initially surprised the Duc de Luxembourg, but the attack snarled up on narrow approach roads.  Luxembourg recovered quickly and skillfully beat off the attack. The battle was marked by fierce hand-to-hand combat - unusual during this period, when musketry was usually preferred - along hedgerows.  Although a French success, the English and Dutch infantry were praised for their performance. 

1915: On the Western Front, a working party from the Scots Guards were repairing a communication trench when a German mortar bomb landed in their midst.  Second Lieutenant Boyd-Rochfort immediately scooped it up and threw it out of the trench, where it promptly exploded.  He was awarded the Victoria Cross.

1916: Commonwealth forces repelled an Ottoman attack under Kress von Kressenstein at Rumani in the Sinai.

1940: The Luftwaffe confined itself to reconnaissance work during the day, but was rather more active during the night with numerous nuisance raids.  The day's events are recorded on the RAF's Battle of Britain website.