26 January 1788 - The First Fleet arrived in Sydney Cove, Australia.

With prisons overcrowded and the loss of the American colonies to which convicts had been transported a decision was made to found a convict colony in Australia. It had the advantage of an English speaking population occupying the newly discovered continent before the French did so. 

In May 1787 11 ships (six convict, three supply and two Royal Navy) under the overall command of Admiral Arthur Philip sailed from England with 1420 on board (789 convicts and their children, 631 crew, soldiers, officials and their families).

The first vessel arrived off Botany Bay on 18 January, the others dropped anchor over the next two days. The number who completed the voyage was 1373 (67 had died and 20 babies had been born). However Botany Bay was found to be an unsuitable location so they sailed north encountering two French ships also exploring the area. On 26 January they sailed into a bay which they named after Viscount Sydney the Home Secretary and it was here the first colony in Australia was established with Arthur Philip becoming the first Governor of the colony he named New South Wales.  

Hence today is Australia Day.   

In Australia there's a definite kudos in being descended from a convict, I don't suppose that's the case in the USA. Descent from the Mayflower pilgrims seems to be the one people look for.

In Australia there's a definite kudos in being descended from a convict, I don't suppose that's the case in the USA. Descent from the Mayflower pilgrims seems to be the one people look for.

Correct about the Mayflower. Was New Zealand founded as a penal colony? I see their P.M. has resigned recently. 

New Zealand wasn't incorporated into the British Empire until the 1840s, before that it was a lawless place with the only European visitors being the crews of whalers or sealers. With no official laws to follow it became the scene of endless conflicts between Europeans and Maoris and between the Maori tribes themselves to which the "traders" sold guns, rather like the Wild West you might say. 

Christian missionaries were the first to attempt to settle and bring civilization, but it was the threat of French settlers that compelled the Maoris to request protection from the British resulting in a treaty in 1841. Today of course Maoris claim they were misled and cheated out of the country.    

New Zealand wasn't incorporated into the British Empire until the 1840s, before that it was a lawless place with the only European visitors being the crews of whalers or sealers. With no official laws to follow it became the scene of endless conflicts between Europeans and Maoris and between the Maori tribes themselves to which the "traders" sold guns, rather like the Wild West you might say. 

Christian missionaries were the first to attempt to settle and bring civilization, but it was the threat of French settlers that compelled the Maoris to request protection from the British resulting in a treaty in 1841. Today of course Maoris claim they were misled and cheated out of the country.    

Sounds familiar like the old west for sure. Recently New Zealand has turned far left with their politics. 

A General Election is due this year and Labour look set to lose power. Ardern isn't as popular at home as she is in the rest of the world. 

A General Election is due this year and Labour look set to lose power. Ardern isn't as popular at home as she is in the rest of the world. 

Communists in the west just love the system, as long as they never get to personally try it.

27 January 1773 - Augustus, Duke of Sussex, born.

Sixth son of King George III and arguably the most popular and able of his offspring. Created Duke of Sussex in 1801 Augustus held liberal attitudes for the time advocating the abolition of slavery and the removal of restrictions on Catholics among others.

He is best known though for his complicated married life. In 1793 aged 20 he married in Rome Lady Augusta Murray who was ten years his senior. However the marriage was in violation of the Royal Marriages Act 1772 and was formally pronounced invalid. Nevertheless they lived together as man and wife until 1801 during which time they had two children. 

Even though they separated after eight years of "marriage" Augustus continued to regard himself as a married man until his "wife's" death in 1830, although it did not stop him from having mistresses. One of these was a widow Lady Cecilia Buggin whom he married in 1831 once he viewed himself as a widower. This marriage too was in violation of the Royal Marriages Act. Cecilia was treated with greater respect than Augustus' first wife being received at Court by Queen Victoria.

Augustus died in 1843 and in order that his "wife" could be buried next to him he gave instructions that he was not to be buried in any of the Royal tombs, instead he was interred in the public cemetery at Kensal Green where his wife joined him 30 year later. 

Their tomb in Kensal Green Cemetery.

Their tomb in Kensal Green Cemetery.

Aha, King George III was the "present" King of England mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. 

He and his wife Queen Charlotte had 15 children of whom 13 survived into adulthood, a good number even for a privileged family back then.

A sister of the Duke of Sussex is also buried in Kensal Green, Princess Sophia who died in 1848. She too requested not to be buried in one of the traditional Royal burial grounds. Her tomb is even more impressive than her brother's.

He and his wife Queen Charlotte had 15 children of whom 13 survived into adulthood, a good number even for a privileged family back then.

A sister of the Duke of Sussex is also buried in Kensal Green, Princess Sophia who died in 1848. She too requested not to be buried in one of the traditional Royal burial grounds. Her tomb is even more impressive than her brother's.

Impressive in life, impressive in death. 

28 January 1596 - Sir Francis Drake died.

One of England's great Elizabethan heroes. Privateer and explorer he made a name for himself in his attacks on the Spanish in the Americas and, controversially today, in the early slave trade.

From 1577 to 1581 he led the first English expedition to circumnavigate the globe a feat which earned him a knighthood on his return.

In 1588 he played a major role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

He died on yet another voyage against the Spanish to the West Indies. After a failed attack on the port of Panamá he fell ill with dysentery and died on board his ship Defiance as his fleet lay off the port of Portobello and was buried at sea in a lead lined coffin. 

29 January 1856 - The Victoria Cross instituted.

The highest award for bravery in the UK. Before 1856 there was no formal recognition of acts of bravery within the British Army or Navy. With the Crimean War nearing its end it was remarked that numerous acts of valour were going unrecognized, this was remedied by Queen Victoria who ordered that a medal be struck to be awarded in exceptional circumstances to all ranks however high or low. This announcement was issued in January 1856 but backdated to 1854 to recognize acts performed in the Crimean War.

The first investiture took place in June 1857 in which Queen Victoria presented 62 VCs to heroes from the Crimean War. the earliest dating back to June 1854.

The medal itself is a simple Maltese Cross with the inscription "for valour" with the recipients details on the reverse suspended from a crimson ribbon. The metal comes from Chinese cannon captured in the 1840s.

In order to be awarded a VC the act must be performed in the presence of the enemy with a high degree of risk and to be witnessed by at least three people, posthumous awards allowed. Up to 1920 the VC could be rescinded for later "disgraceful behaviour". 

The most awarded in single day was 24 for action in the Indian Mutiny in November 1857. To date 1358 have been awarded with three servicemen being awarded it twice, 294 were posthumous awards. The most recent was in 2013. 

29 January 1856 - The Victoria Cross instituted.

The highest award for bravery in the UK. Before 1856 there was no formal recognition of acts of bravery within the British Army or Navy. With the Crimean War nearing its end it was remarked that numerous acts of valour were going unrecognized, this was remedied by Queen Victoria who ordered that a medal be struck to be awarded in exceptional circumstances to all ranks however high or low. This announcement was issued in January 1856 but backdated to 1854 to recognize acts performed in the Crimean War.

The first investiture took place in June 1857 in which Queen Victoria presented 62 VCs to heroes from the Crimean War. the earliest dating back to June 1854.

The medal itself is a simple Maltese Cross with the inscription "for valour" with the recipients details on the reverse suspended from a crimson ribbon. The metal comes from Chinese cannon captured in the 1840s.

In order to be awarded a VC the act must be performed in the presence of the enemy with a high degree of risk and to be witnessed by at least three people, posthumous awards allowed. Up to 1920 the VC could be rescinded for later "disgraceful behaviour". 

The most awarded in single day was 24 for action in the Indian Mutiny in November 1857. To date 1358 have been awarded with three servicemen being awarded it twice, 294 were posthumous awards. The most recent was in 2013. 

How many handed out while the winner participating in one of those "atrocities?" 

I'll play along - only one, during the 1904 Tibetan War.

I go to a lot of auctions & it amazes me the amount of military awards, medals, certificates & like are sold there to strangers. The VC is the highest award given & you would think the family would want to keep it. Of course money does make the world go round eh?

More virtue signalling from a minor celebrity.

30 January 1945 - The sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff.

The highest death toll in the sinking of a single ship.

Launched in 1937 the Wilhelm Gustloff was a 25,484 ton cruise liner operating in European waters for the German Labour Front. In 1939 she was requisitioned as a hospital ship and later a barracks vessel based in the Baltic. By early 1945 the Germans were retreating from East Prussia faced with a Russian advance. The Wilhelm Gustloff was ordered to evacuate thousands of service personnel and civilians from the port of Gotenhafen to the relative safety of Kiel. 

She sailed on the afternoon of 20 January with an estimated 10,500 on board. As darkness fell she was spotted by the Soviet submarine S-13 and followed for several hours until around 2100 when she fired three torpedoes. All three struck causing an immediate list, she capsized within 40 minutes and sank less than an hour after the attack. 

German vessels rescued about 1250 but an estimated 9250 died.   

Ships going down in the sea is so sad.

Especially if you're in them

31 January 1915 - The first use of poison gas in warfare.

In mid January the Germans launched an offensive against the Russians at Bolimów in Poland. The initial attack was repulsed so the Germans made a second attempt on 31 January beginning with an artillery barrage with gas shells. 18,000 shells filled with xylyl bromide were fired at Russian lines, but with limited effect, the extreme cold rendered the gas largely ineffective and the wind blew it back towards German lines.