This date in history February 15th:

On this date in 1942 the British surrender Singapore to the Japanese. This is one of the greatest military defeats in British history, and one the most amazing Japanese victories of the war.

The American battleship USS Maine explodes in Havana harbor, and event that would lead to the Spanish American war. At first thought to be a mine explosion many years later a naval board releases findings stating that it was due to a coal fire that ignited the magazines.

In 1965 Canada adopts the Maple Leaf flag. From the 1860s until this time the Canadian flag was a red ensign, with the British Union Jack in the corner, and a crest representing Canada on the right side. After years of debate the current flag was adopted and Queen Elizabeth declared Feb 15th as the date it would be officially recognized.

Born on this date:

American Women’s rights worker Susan B Anthony.

Scientist Galileo Galilei.

Actor John Barrymore.

Charles Louis Tiffany, to the delight of women who love jewelry everywhere.

Actress Jane Seymour. I love her accent.

Comedian Chris Farley.

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Also a sad day in Singapore History. Civilians were given POW treatment from here on and one of my uncles used to show me the site where they used to line up the civilians and execute them. They would dig trenches behind them so the bodies would fall straight into it when shot.

This was actually one of the Greatest Mistakes by the Brits. They reinforced their defences on the water front thinking the Japs would come by sea but somehow forgot that they might come from behind aka Malaysia which was what happened.