This week in history

1915 – Airship

A German Zeppelin commanded by Heinrich Mathy, one of the great airship commanders of World War I, hits Aldersgate in central London, killing 22 people and causing £500,000 worth of damage.

1939 – War

IN response to Hitler’s invasion of Poland, Britain and France, declare war on Germany.

The first casualty was British ocean liner Athenia, sunk by a German submarine. Britain’s response was dropping anti-Nazi propaganda over Germany and then bombing German ships on September 4.

2014 – Comedy

COMEDIAN Joan Rivers, dies at age 81 in a New York hospital, a week after suffering cardiac arrest while undergoing a procedure on her vocal cords. During a career spanning more than five decades, Rivers blazed a trail for women in stand-up comedy.

1957 – Beatnik

THE New York Times gives a rave review to “On the Road,” by Jack Kerouac. The book is an autobiographical novel about wild cross-country car trips Kerouac made with his friend Neal Cassady. “Jack went to bed obscure… and woke up famous,” said his girlfriend.

1997 – Diana

AROUND 2.5 billion people tune in to broadcasts of the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash in Paris. During her marriage to Prince Charles, Diana became one of the most famous people on the planet.

1996 – Tupac

HIP-hop artist Tupac Shakur is shot in Las Vegas, after attending a boxing match. Shakur was in a black BMW with Death Row Records’ “Suge” Knight when a white Cadillac pulled alongside and fired into Shakur’s car. He died in a hospital days later.

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