This Day in History - 25 April

1284The birth, at Caernarfon Castle, of King Edward II, who became the first heir-apparent to bear the title Prince of Wales. King from 1307, he ruled during a period of pestilence, famine and defeats at the hands of the Scots, and was eventually murdered.

1599The birth of Oliver Cromwell, Protector of England who led his ‘Ironsides’ in the English Civil War against the ‘Roundheads’ of King Charles I. Cromwell’s victories enabled him to have the King tried and beheaded, after which he established a republic.

1719Robinson Crusoe first appeared in paperback. Written by Daniel Defoe it was based partly on the story of Alexander Selkirk who was marooned on a Pacific island for four years.

1829Admiral Charles Fremantle arrived in HMS Challenger off the coast of modern day Western Australia prior to declaring the Swan River Colony for Britain.

1848The first Royal yacht, Victoria and Albert, was launched at Pembroke Docks, after suffering serious damage when first floated.

1859British and French engineers broke ground for the creation of the Suez Canal. The excavation took some 10 years and altogether more than 1.5 million people from various countries were employed.

1915World War I - 90,000 Australian, New Zealand, British and French forces began landing on the Gallipoli Peninsular to attack Turkish positions. The Lancashire Fusliers won "6 VC's before breakfast" storming the Gallipoli beach. The victory came at a high price, with as many as 700 members of the regiment killed or wounded. Bury Parish Church (see  picture) is the garrison church of the Lancashire Fusiliers. A plaque in the church (see picture) commemorates those from the Fusiliers who served in peace and war and this plaque (see  picture) in Gallipoli Gardens Bury, honours the 6 who were awarded Victoria Crosses

1916The start of the Easter Rebellion in Ireland, mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic. It was the most significant uprising in Ireland since the rebellion of 1798.

1953Two Cambridge University scientists published their answer to how living things reproduced. In an article published in Nature magazine, James D Watson and Francis Crick described the structure of a chemical called deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA. Their achievement was recognized in 1962 when they received the Nobel Prize for Physiology.

1959Queen Elizabeth II and President Eisenhower officially opened the St. Lawrence Seaway to link the Atlantic with ports on the Great Lakes.

1982British Royal Marines recaptured South Georgia in the Falkland Islands.