On this day in History, Boston, Titanic and Hillsborough

April 15 is one of those days that are significant in history. On a personal level it is the day this writer's late father, and brother, was born. As a child there were often reminders of this day in history due to the loss of the Titanic. In 50s Britain that was still remembered as a huge tragedy. More recently the Hillsborough football disaster marred this date and then there were the 2013 Boston marathon bombings.

The sinking of the Titanic
Perhaps the Titanic should never have been deemed unsinkable. In doing so the huge liner was maybe jinxed. Either way the loss of the Titanic continues to catch the imagination of film producers and enthusiasts. Striking an iceberg late April 14 the sinking was not instant. The death throes of the Titanic and those on board were painfully slow but rescuers arrived too late. They did however manage to save those still alive on board the all too few lifeboats. On April 15, 1912, Titanic went to its watery grave taking at least 1,500 people with her.

Hillsborough
When the Liverpool football team and their army of fans descended on Sheffield for a match at the Hillsborough stadium who would have believed the tragedy that would unfold? This writer watched events unfold on T.V. news before finally the plug was pulled on the harrowing viewing. 96 people died, including children, after crowds surged forward crushing the life out of those trapped behind pitch barriers. It was the 25th anniversary of this disaster in 2014 and the families of the dead were still searching for answers. After an apparent police cover up finally new inquests were launched which may at last offer closure?

July 2015 Daily Mirror -Tony Blair 'rejected Hillsborough inquiry as a favour for Rupert Murdoch'

The Boston Marathon Bombings
On April 15, 2013, it was Patriots' Day in the U.S.A. Patriots' Day commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. Wikipedia reports "Since 1969, the holiday has been observed on the third Monday in April, providing a three-day long weekend, as well as being the first day of public school vacation week in Maine and Massachusetts". In 2013 the day was marred by a terrorist bomb attack which left three people dead, including a young boy, and more than 260 injured. Many of those injured sustained terrible injuries and 16 people lost limbs. Two young men were believed to be responsible for the attack. One Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was killed in the police manhunt for the bombers.

The other, his younger brother Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was apprehended after a manhunt. The judge at his trial quoted works by Shakespeare and Verdi as he formally imposed the death sentence -- a decision already made by a federal jury.

Finally
As with all days in history there are a range of other notable events on April 15 which include: 1945, British troops entered the concentration camp Bergen-Belsen after negotiating a truce with the German commandant and  1986 the United States bombed Tripoli in retaliation for Libyan terrorist attacks on American targets. But it seems that April 15 will forever be remembered as a day in infamy and will be one of those days that continue to be remembered.

Related:
Titanic: 40 fascinating facts

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