26 Oct 1944, William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury died. Leading thinker, writer, clergyman & activist who linked #Christian theological concerns to everyday life, connecting #Church to wider society. His radical thinking played key role in formation of British Welfare State.

26 Oct 1963, Sir William Kelsey-Fry, doctor & dental surgeon, died. #WW1 medical officer with Welsh Fusiliers, then worked with Harold Gilles @ Queen Mary's Sidcup pioneering development of facio-maxillary surgery. #WW2 worked @ Queen Victoria E Grinstead with Archibald McIndoe.

26 Oct 1918, Erich Ludendorff (1865-1937), QM General of German Army, dismissed by Kaiser for refusing to cooperate in peace negotiations. Fled to Sweden. Post-war, played role in 1923 Munich putsch, propagated ‘stab in back theory’, was Nazi MP & wrote 'The Nation at War'. #WW1

25 Oct 1961, Lt Col William Clark-Kennedy, VC, CMG, DSO & Bar, ED (b.1879), died. As Cmdr 24th Bn Canadian Exped Force, won Victoria Cross for valour on 28 Aug 1918, Battle of Arras. After many casualties & despite being badly wounded, gallantly led troops so could advance. #WW1

25 Oct 1915, Pte James Martin, died on hospital ship Glenart Castle of typhoid contracted in Gallipoli campaign, aged only 14 years & 9 months. Youngest Australian known to have died in #WW1. Buried at sea. Commemorated at Lone Pine Memorial. Born at Tocumwal, New South Wales.

25 Oct 1914, General von Falkenhayn (1861–1922) replaced von Moltke as German Chief of Staff. Believed that Germany had to win #WW1 war in France by standing on defensive & exhausting Allies. After long & unsuccessful assault on Verdun, replaced by more assertive von Hindenburg.

24 Oct 1918, Battle of Vittorio Veneto began. Led to capture of 5,000+ artillery pieces & 350,000+ Austro-Hungarian troops. Under General Armando Diaz, Italian victory marked end of war on that Front, secured dissolution of Hapsburg Empire & contributed to end of #WW1 week later.

23 Oct 1915, while 20 miles west of Libau, armoured cruiser Prinz Adalbert torpedoed by British submarine E8. Struck ship’s ammunition magazine, causing massive explosion. Of 675 crew, only 3 survived. Greatest single loss of life for German Navy in Baltic in #WW1.

23 Oct 1918, Sjt Henry Nicholas, Canterbury Regt, N.Z.E.F., shot dead at bridge nr Le Quesnoy, aged 27. Buried Vertigneul Churchyard. Awarded Victoria Cross for storming & capturing strong point at Polderhoek Spur on 3 Dec 1917. Born Lincoln, Christchurch. Was carpenter. #WW1

22 Oct 1943, Sir William ‘Blinker’ Hall, British Admiral & Director of Naval Intelligence in #WW1, died. Set up Room 40 which, in Feb 1917, decoded Zimmermann telegram, proposing military alliance between Germany & Mexico against United States. Major cause of USA entry into war.

21 Oct 1943, Dudley Pound, Admiral of Fleet & 1st Sea Lord 1939 to 1943, died of brain tumour. 1877, born on Isle of Wight. Enlisted in Royal Navy in 1891. Served throughout #WW1, being in command of HMS Colossus at Jutland & ended war as Director of Operations Division (Home).

21 Oct 1805, Admiral Horatio Nelson dies aboard HMS Victory in Battle of Trafalgar, aged 47. Given a state funeral & buried in @StPaulsLondon. Born Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk, son of a vicar. Enlisted in Royal Navy in 1771. Partially lost sight in one eye & lost right arm in battle.

19 Oct 1916, Sgt Leo Clarke, Canadian Infantry, died from wounds received day before, aged 24. Buried Etretat Churchyard. Awarded Victoria Cross for action in Battle of Flers–Courcelette. Headstone inscription, ‘And so shall we ever be with the Lord’ 1 Thess. 4:17. #Bible #WW1

19 Oct 1914, 1st Battle of Ypres began. First of three costly #WW1 battles centred on town. Attempted flank attacks by both Allies & Germans failed to achieve significant breakthroughs. Both sides settled into trench warfare that would characterize rest of war on Western Front.

18 Oct 1914, British submarine HMS E3, built 1911-1912, torpedoed & sunk by German SM U-27 off Borkum Island in North Sea. All 31 of its crew died. First recorded incident in which a naval submarine sank another. #WW1

17 Oct 1914, during siege of Tsingtao, German torpedo boat S-90 sunk Japanese cruiser Takachiho in Kiao-Chau Harbour. 271 crew died. Only 3 survivors. Detonation of two torpedoes triggered explosion of 120 mines on board. Largest single loss of life for Japanese forces in #WW1.

17 Oct 1940, USS Kearny, a United States Navy destroyer torpedoed by German U-boat, before US entered #WW2. Went to aid of attacked British convoy near Iceland. Crew confined flooding to forward fire room. 11 men killed, 22 injured. Survived the attack & served in rest of war.

17 Oct 2009, this tapestry depicting Peter’s denial of Christ was returned to St Martin’s Cathedral, Ypres, by children of British #WW1 soldier Eutychus Robinson (d. 1968) who rescued it from ruins in 1915, thus saving it from destruction. It is now displayed in the Cathedral.

17 Oct 1918, 2nd Lt Lionel Halse, Gloucs Regt, died of wounds Millbank Hospital, aged 24. Buried Bridlington Cemetery (where born). Educated @DeanCloseSchool (& teacher), @QueensCam & @ridleyhall (theology - photo). Called up before ordained. Engaged to daughter of @deanclosehead

16 Oct 1950, 1st edition of C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe was published. Features adventures in land of #Narnia of 4 children evacuated from #Finchley #WW2 Aspects reflect biblical ideas from #Christianity. In 2003, book ranked 9th on BBC's The Big Read poll.