History Briefs – Great Stories from the Past

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Stories about famous people and their place in history

Find History Briefs here!

Stories about famous people and their place in history

Sir Keith Park

Keith Park was the outstanding Royal Air Force fighter commander of the Second World War. Already a fighter ace from the first World War, he skilfully commanded the RAF in the Battle of Britain before defeating the Luftwaffe in Malta.

Field Marshal Bill Slim

British Field Marshal Bill Slim was an outstanding General and, arguably, Britain’s finest army commander of the Second World War. He was the commander of the British 14th Army, the so-called Forgotten Army, that recaptured Burma.

Captain John Walker

John Walker was the most successful anti-submarine commander of the Second World War. His exploits compare with the greatest naval commanders of all time and is frequently described as Britain’s greatest fighting naval commander since Horatio Nelson.

Duke of Marlborough

Arguably, the greatest English General of the modern era with his famous victories over the French at the Battles of Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde and Malplaquet. Britain emerged as a great military power under his command.

General Richard O'Connor

Richard O’Connor was a very successful commander during the early part of the Second World War. A brilliant tactician, his time in command was cut short by his capture depriving Britain of possibly its best battlefield commander of the Second World War.

Clive of India

Robert Clive was responsible for British military supremacy in India. He defeated the French on numerous occasions, captured Arcot, relieved the Black Hole of Calcutta & won the famous Battle of Plassey.

Alvar Lidel

The most recognisable voice amongst a small group of news readers employed by the BBC during the Second World War. “Here is the News and this Alvar Lidell reading it,” became an inadvertent catchphrase in Britain. Lidell was to announce many of the great events of the time.

Catherine of Braganza

A Portuguese Princess and Queen Consort of England, Scotland and Ireland, a pious Princess who survived the salacious Court of King Charles II and who strengthened still further the relationship between Britain and Portugal which has continued, uninterrupted, to this day.