DIARY OF THE YEAR
Thursday, August 26: As Harold Wilson criticised Tory handling of the Ulster situation on radio and TV, Northera Ireland's Labour party proposed a Coalition Government. A staggering pay demand — estimated at £700m annually — was slapped in by the Engineering Union but British Leyland workers thought buying their Birmingham factory might prove more profitable in the long run. Blackpool jewel gangster, Charles Haynes, was arrested while watching his daughter showjumping and Lord Longford's luggage survived a customs inspection on his return from the Danish porn probe.
Friday, August 27: Japan agreed to float the yen, but expected America to abandon her 10 per cent import surcharge in return. Photographs were released both of wanted gunman, Joe Sewell, and girl victims of the Belfast Electricity Board bomb blast. As the Clyde work-in grappled with financial difficulties, Scottish industrialist, Archibald Kelly, and the TUC made little headway with the minister concerned, John Davies.
Saturday, August 28: At least twentyfive people died when a Greek car ferry caught fire in the Adriatic while a Hungarian plane disaster claimed over thirty victims. IRA chief, Rory O'Brady, was refused entry into Britain by express order of the Home Secretary, and over 100,000 fans descended on a sleepy Essex village for a Bank Hcliday pop festival.
Sunday, August 29: A British Army scout-car patrol was ambushed when accidentally straying over the Eire border. After retreating to the North, the attack continued, killing one soldier and seriously wounding a second. Meanwhile, in Italy, Pope Paul denounced internment. Ted Heath and Morning Cloud rescued two children from a capsized dinghy near Burnhamon-Crouch.
Monday, August 30: The Captain of the burnt-out Greek ferry was arrested in Brindisi as survivors alleged dangerous overcrowding as well as an inadequate and neglectful rescue operation on the part of the crew. Tension grew over Sunday's brutal ambush and Ulster Minister of State suggested closing all border routes. Dual murderer, Donald Forbes, broke out of Aberdeen jail, and many papers carried artists' impressions of 'wanted' Joe Sewell. Tuesday, August 31: Eire PM, Jack Lynch and the Ministry of Defence issued conflicting reports of Sunday's patrol ambush and Sir Edmund Comp ton, the former Ombudsman, was named as Chairman of the inquiry into army brutality. On the industrial front, 1,200 redundancies were announced by BAC while UCS owed its creditors over £28m. Britain officially recognized the right-ring regime in Bolivia, a Titian madonna and child was stolen from a church at the artist's birthplace and in New York, the Rolling Stones sued their former manager, Allen Klein, for E12m.
Wednesday September 1: It was announced that Mr Heath's meeting with Eire PM Mr Lynch has been brought forward from October to next Monday. In Blackpool a second woman, Mrs Barbara Palmer was charged with impeding the arrest of gunman Sewell. In protest against redundancies BAC workers voted for an overtime ban on work on the Concorde.
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