FEAST OF ST MARK

ANZAC DAY - Commemorates 1915 Gallipoli landing of Australian and New Zealand troops in the First World War.

1599 Oliver Cromwell was born in Huntingdon. He became Lord Protector of England - Britain's first and only dictator.

1792 The guillotine, Dr Guillotin's (correct) much improved device for beheading people, was first used in Paris to remove the head of a highwayman.

1859 Work began on the 100-mile Suez Canal.

1872 CB Fry, all-round sportsman, was born in Croydon. He played football, cricket and rugby and was also an athlete, hunter, fisherman and novelist.

1915 Australian, New Zealand, British and French forces landed on the Gallipoli peninsular.

1926 Toscanini conducted the first performance of Puccini's last opera,Turandot, in Milan.

1964 Thieves stole the head from the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen.

1969 The radio serial Mrs Dale's Diary ended after 21 years and 5,400 episodes. Her last words were: "I'm rather worried about Jim."

1975 Portugal held its first free elections for 50 years.

1983 In Germany, Stern published extracts from the so-called Hitler Diaries, also published by the Sunday Times in Britain. They were later found to be forgeries.

ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Two teenage brothers walked free from the Old Bailey after being cleared of the murder of 10-year-old Damilola Taylor.

BIRTHDAYS: William Roache, Coronation Street actor, 71; Earl of Lichfield, photographer, 64; Al Pacino, actor, 64; Bjorn Ulvaeus, pop musician (Abba), 58; Talia Shire, actress, 57; Johann Cruyff, football manager, 57; Ian McCartney, Labour Party Chairman, 52; Eric Bristow, darts player, 46; Andy Bell, pop musician (Erasure), 39; Renee Zellweger, actress, 34; Jason Lee, actor, 33