100 years ago

British aviators’ intentions in regard to the Zeppelins had been mentioned guardedly, but pointedly, by Mr Waterman Runciman, in a speech at a recent recruiting meeting.

“I understand,” he said, “that the attentions of Germany are to be turned on October 31st to England, and that her army and navy and air service are to be used against us. Any one who came through the streets of London tonight could see we are contemplating the visit of German aircraft.

If they come there they can only come with the object of dropping bombs on an unfortified place, and if the object in sending them here is to frighten the British nation, then Germany has once more miscalculated the British character. If by the end of October recruiting has slackened, nothing will stimulate it more than the visit of a Zeppelin. But do not imagine for a single moment that Zeppelins are going to have it all their own way.

There are courageous men in the Flying Corps who are already paying their respects to the airship sheds of Düsseldorf, and some of them are prepared to a much more daring deed of sacrificing their lives by dashing their aeroplanes into the body of the airships.”

 

50 years ago

The Soviet Union had put three men into orbit, in the world’s first spaceship to carry more than a solitary cosmonaut.

Moscow Radio said the new ship – “Voskhod” – (Sunrise) – would stay in orbit for a “prolonged” time. There was speculation the three men might stay aloft for a week. The official announcement said the spacecraft, carrying a civilian doctor to make experiments, was launched by a “new powerful launch vehicle”.

The flight had been announced more than an hour after the launch, only when the ship had completed its first successful orbit. Moscow Radio said the three fliers “felt fine” after going into a state of weightlessness.

 

25 years ago

Britons were scared stiff by the thought of poverty, with more than half the population “terrified” of being penniless, according to a recent survey.

The Abbey National report on Britain’s financial concerns showed the biggest fear for many people was having less than £100 to their names The over-35s were especially anxious at this thought. The report also disclosed that cash rather than credit remained king for most people, with food, groceries, clothes, shoes and household bills still paid for with “folding stuff”.

Just four per cent of food bills were settled by credit card, with 50 per cent of all holidays paid for in cash. But we did not like to carry too much cash around with us, with the average contents of a purse or wallet totalling just £19.20