This was the day in 1939 when Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany. An apprehensive Britain crowded around their wireless sets to listen to the Prime Minister's announcement. They needn't have worried, though. As Alan Bennett pointed out in 40 Years On, 3 September was also the date of Cromwell's great victory over the Scots [Battle of Dunbar 1651, but you knew that already I am sure] but Hitler didn't know that. But then there were a lot of things Hitler didn't know (have you read Mein Kampf?).
In other news ...
Richard Plantagenet became Richard I of England today after years of fighting with his father, Henry II and brothers Geoffrey and John over the succession. Bearing in mind that this rather unpleasant psychopath spent only 6 months of a 10 year reign in this country, one wonders why.
