At A Glance

26 March 1942 at a glance

Day of the week
26 March 1942 was a Thursday.
Top Film of 1942
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1942 was Bambi.
Star sign
The star sign for 26 March is Aries.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 26 March 1942 fell in the Year of the Horse.
Birthstone
The birthstone for March is Aquamarine.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 26 March 1942 was Waxing Gibbous.

On this day: 26 March

  • 1931 Swissair is founded as the national airline of Switzerland.
  • 1934 The United Kingdom driving test is introduced.
  • 1939 Spanish Civil War: Nationalists begin their final offensive of the war.
  • 1942 The Holocaust: The first female prisoners arrive at Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland.
  • 1945 World War II: The Battle of Iwo Jima ends as the island is officially secured by American forces.

Famous people born on 26 March

  • Diana Ross, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress (born 1944)
  • Keira Knightley, English actress (born 1985)
  • James Caan, American actor and singer (1940–2022)
  • Mikel Arteta, Spanish footballer (born 1982)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.

Events of 1942 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1942 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 29 January – radio programme Desert Island Discs first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme, presented by Roy Plomley; Austrian-born revue performer Vic Oliver (the Prime Minister's son-in-law) is the first castaway. The programme will still be running 80 years later.
  • 15 February – World War II: General Arthur Percival's forces surrender to the Japanese in the event known as the Fall of Singapore.
  • 10 July – the patriotic Academy Award-winning drama film Mrs. Miniver, starring Greer Garson, is released in London.

Life in 1942

Prime Minister

Winston Churchill

Monarch

George VI

Pint of Beer

3p

Loaf of Bread

2p

Average House

£650

Weekly Wage

£4.10

Or

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Famous Faces Born in the 1940s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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