March 3

1838:

John Maitland routs Van Rensselaer and supporters of Upper Canadian rebels who captured Pelee Island on February 2; routed by regulars of 32nd and 83rd Regiments and the Essex Militia.

1878:

Russians and Turks sign Treaty of San Stefano, ending Russo-Turkish War; Serbia gains independence.

1895:

Birthday of Matthew Ridgway, General, Commander of the U.S. 8th Army in Korea (1951); Supreme Allied Commander of NATO (1952); US Army Chief of Staff.

1895:

On the North West Frontier, word was brought to the garrison at Chitral Fort that an officer had been badly wounded some 1.5 miles distant. Surgeon-Captain Whitchurch immediately set out with a rescue party. They reached the wounded officer, but as they were carrying him back, they came under very heavy fire. Three of the stretcher bearers were killed, whereupon Whitchurch hoisted the officer onto his back, and carried him the remainder of the way to the fort, all the time under fire. Sadly, the officer's wounds proved fatal, but Whitchurch was awarded the Victoria Cross.

1899:

George Dewey appointed first US Admiral of the Navy.

1901:

Lieutenant Dugdale, 5th Royal Irish Lancers, earned the Victoria Cross for his rescue under fire of two wounded and unhorsed troopers during a Boer War skirmish. He dismounted and put one of the men in his own saddle, then caught one of the riderless horses, mounted it and pulled the second casualty up behind him. He then took both horses and the wounded back to the British lines.

1918:

Russia withdraws from WW I, signing Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany and its allies.

1942:

Bomber Command launches its largest raid so far of the war, conducting night low-level precision bombing against the Renault factory at Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris. This was an important source of German military trucks. 235 bombers attacked in a previously unprecedented concentration over the target (121 per hour) which demonstrated that the risk of collision at night was lower than feared, no accidents being suffered. The raid dropped 300 bombs on the factory, causing an estimated loss of production of 2,300 trucks and destroyed 40% of the factory. 367 French civilians 367 were killed.

1942:

First combat flight of the Canadian-built Avro Lancaster bomber

1945:

During an attack by the Green Howards on Japanese bunkers in Burma, Lieutenant Weston distinguished himself leading the charge on a number of strongpoints. In the attack on the last and most difficult bunker, Weston fell wounded in the entrance. He deliberately pulled the pin from one of his grenades, and blew up himself and the bunker. He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.

1945:

Manila falls to US and Filipino troops, British Indian forces take Meiktila, Burma

1945:

US & Philippines forces recapture island fortress of Corregidor.

1945:

US wins Battle of the Bismarck Sea over Japan.

1976:

Mozambique closes border with Rhodesia, after Rhodesian raids on rebel bases.

2005:

4 RCMP officers slain while raiding a grow-op in Mayerthorpe, Alberta.