The Tetrarch, a British light tank with a 2-pounder gun, was deployed in the Second World War. Vickers-Armstrongs produced over 100 of them, but the tanks had design flaws and most remained in Britain. Twenty were sent to the USSR as part of the Lend-Lease program. In early 1941 one Royal Armoured Corpssquadron used in overseas amphibious operations was equipped with Tetrarchs, and in May 1942 a few joined the British force invading Madagascar. During the British airborne landings in Normandy in June 1944, the 6th Airborne Division used around 20 Tetrarchs, but those not lost in accidents proved to be inferior in firepower and armour to the German armoured fighting vehicles. The tanks were removed from direct engagement with German armour, and all were replaced with Cromwell cruiser tanks and M22 Locusts by December. Tetrarchs did not see any further combat, and the last was retired in 1950. There were several variations on the design, including the Alecto self-propelled gun and the Light Tank Mk VIII, but none of these were used in active service with the British Army. (Full article...)
1780 – A combination of thick smoke, fog, and heavy cloud cover caused darkness to fall on parts of Canada and the New England area of the United States by noon.
A panoramic view of some tors in Dartmoor, Devon, taken in late December 2009 during some early winter snow; the nearest on the right is Saddle tor, with Hay tor behind and to the left. The tors found in this moorland, which covers 954 square kilometres (368 sq mi) and is protected as the Dartmoor National Park, are granite hilltops dating from the Carboniferous period. They provide habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The image is a stitched panorama using five individual images.
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