Gday...

1875  -   Giles departs on his final expedition, crossing the western deserts twice.

Ernest Giles emigrated to Australia in 1850 and was employed at various cattle and sheep stations, allowing him to develop good bush skills. He made several expeditions in the Australian desert. The first, lasting four months, commenced in August 1872 and resulted in discoveries such as Palm Valley, Gosse's Bluff, Lake Amadeus, and the first sighting of Mount Olga.

Giles's next expedition departed in August 1873. On this expedition, Giles was able to approach closer to the Olgas, but his attempts to continue further west were thwarted by interminable sand, dust, biting ants, Aboriginal attack and lack of water. The loss of one of Giles's companions, Gibson, in April 1874 ended this second expedition, and the party arrived back at Charlotte Waters in July.

Giles was determined to explore the unknown country south of where Warburton and Forrest had explored, reaching Perth in the attempt. On 13 March 1875, Giles departed from Fowlers Bay, heading north first before crossing the western deserts. Although a short expedition, it was a difficult one, initially marked by severe water shortages until the discovery of permanent water holes.

Giles's fourth expedition departed from the homestead of his sponsor Thomas Elder at Beltana on 6 May 1875. On this journey, Giles was supplied with camels. From Ooldea on the northeastern edge of the Nullarbor Plain, he travelled west through the Great Victoria Desert, reaching Perth with no loss of life among his party. He then promptly turned around, re-crossing the desert back to the Overland Telegraph Line. Although he did not find good land, his main claim to fame was being the first to make the main western crossing from both directions.

1937  -   The airship Hindenburg catches fire as it attempts to dock in New Jersey, USA, killing 36. 

The rigid airship, also known as a zeppelin or dirigible, is a self-propelled, steered aircraft with lighter-than-air gas to provide lift, and a gondola to accommodate passengers, crew, and cargo. In the early days of airships, the primary lifting gas was hydrogen; however, hydrogen is flammable when mixed with air. After the 1950s, helium was used in all countries except the United States because it was safer. The USA continued to use hydrogen because it was cheaper and more readily available, and provided greater lift - this was despite the Hindenburg tragedy.

The Hindenburg was a brand-new, all-duralumin design and, together with its sister ship the LZ 130 Graf Zeppelin II, was one of the largest aircraft ever built, at 245.06 m long and 41.15 m in diameter. It was longer than three Boeing 747s placed end-to-end. The Hindenburg was originally intended to be filled with helium, but a United States military embargo on helium forced the Germans to modify the design of the ship to use highly flammable hydrogen as the lift gas. The Germans had considerable experience with using hydrogen and implemented necessary safety measures to preempt an accident. Their safety record was impressive.

However, on 6 May 1937, the German zeppelin LZ 129 Hindenburg was approaching a mooring mast at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey when it caught fire. The flames first appeared near the tail and, within 37 seconds, completely engulfed the ship. Of the 97 people on board, 35 were killed, as well as one of the ground crew. Various theories have been put forward regarding the cause of the blaze. Sabotage has been virtually ruled out. More likely theories suggest that the fire was started by a spark caused by static buildup, or that one of the many high-tension bracing wires within the structure of the airship may have snapped and punctured the fabric of one or more of the internal gas cells.

1954  -   British athlete Roger Bannister breaks the four-minute mile. 

1994  -   The Channel Tunnel is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II and French President François Mitterrand. 

Cheers - John