At A Glance

31 May 1942 at a glance

Day of the week
31 May 1942 was a Sunday.
Top Film of 1942
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1942 was Bambi.
Star sign
The star sign for 31 May is Gemini.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 31 May 1942 fell in the Year of the Horse.
Birthstone
The birthstone for May is Emerald.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 31 May 1942 was Waning Gibbous.

On this day: 31 May

  • 1941 Anglo-Iraqi War: The United Kingdom completes the re-occupation of Iraq and returns 'Abd al-Ilah to power as regent for Faisal II.
  • 1942 World War II: Imperial Japanese Navy midget submarines begin a series of attacks on Sydney, Australia.
  • 1947 Ferenc Nagy, the democratically elected Prime Minister of Hungary, resigns from office after blackmail from the Hungarian Communist Party accusing him of being part of a plot against the state. This grants the Communists effective control of the Hungarian government.
  • 1951 The Uniform Code of Military Justice takes effect as the legal system of the United States Armed Forces.
  • 1955 The U.S. Supreme Court expands on its Brown v. Board of Education decision by ordering district courts and school districts to enforce educational desegregation "at all deliberate speed."

Famous people born on 31 May

  • Clint Eastwood, American actor, director, musician, and producer (born 1930)
  • Gable Steveson, American wrestler (born 2000)
  • Colin Farrell, Irish actor (born 1976)
  • Brooke Shields, American model, actress, and producer (born 1965)

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

Browse by Year

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)

About The Day You Were Born

Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.

About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →