JUNE 1, 1876: The Royal Military College opens on Point Frederick, a small peninsula east of Kingston, Ont.
JUNE 2, 1953: A coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, London, crowns Queen Elizabeth II.
JUNE 3, 1989: The Toronto Skydome opens.
JUNE 4, 1944: The Canadian/American First Special Service Force leads 2nd United States Corps into Rome.
JUNE 5, 1944: A massive Allied invasion force begins to cross the English Channel, heading for the Normandy coast.
JUNE 6, 1944: The Normandy Invasion force lands. By day’s end, the Allies have approximately 155,000 troops, several thousand vehicles, hundreds of guns and roughly 4,000 tons of supplies in France. All major branches of the military participate.
JUNE 7, 1981: Israel launches first airstrike against a nuclear plant. The bombs destroy the Osirak reactor south of Baghdad.
JUNE 8, 1944: Powerful enemy attacks on 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade positions west of Caen, France, result in the temporary loss of Putot-en-Bessin. A counterattack by the Canadian Scottish Regiment, supported by tanks of the First Hussars, retakes the village.
JUNE 9, 1989: The first Canadian female fighter pilots graduate from the CF-18 program.
JUNE 10, 1944: Escort Group 11 under Captain J.D. “Chummy” Prentice is designated the Anti-Submarine Killer Group for Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth. Moving into the central English Channel, it would become the most significant Allied anti-submarine group in the campaign.
JUNE 11-12, 1900: In the South African War, the Canadian Mounted troops advance against Boers occupying Diamond Hill which stands between Pretoria and the Transvaal’s new capital at Machadodorp. The troops fail to take the hill, in part due to a shortage of horses.
JUNE 13, 1916: In the wake of devastating German attacks earlier in June, two improvised brigade groups counterattack Mount Sorrel and restore the lines to where they were on June 2. Approximately 8,000 Canadians are killed, wounded or captured from June 2-14.
JUNE 14, 1982: A ceasefire is announced in the Falkland Islands war.
JUNE 15, 2003: Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Iroquois relinquishes command of Task Force 151 and heads home. The multinational force had been stationed in the Arabian Gulf. Iroquois had been responsible for surveillance and inspection of foreign vessels. HMCS Fredericton remains with the force.
JUNE 16, 1992: Canadian responsibilities with the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) are formally terminated.
JUNE 17, 1946: A severe tornado leaves a path of destruction in Windsor, Ont.
JUNE 18-19, 1812: The War of 1812 begins.
JUNE 20, 1967: New headquarters for the National Library of Canada open in Ottawa.
JUNE 21, 1982: Princess Diana and Prince Charles welcome their new son, Prince William.
JUNE 22, 1941: German forces invade the Soviet Union.
JUNE 23, 1985: Nearly 330 people on an Air India jumbo jet perish after the aircraft is blown up by a terrorist bomb over the Atlantic Ocean off Ireland.
JUNE 24, 1944: Flight Lieutenant David Hornell, a Canso pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force, uses his aircraft to sink U-1225. Hornell’s plane is shot down and three of its crew, including Hornell, die from exposure. Hornell’s actions result in a Victoria Cross.
JUNE 25, 1950: North Korea invades South Korea.
JUNE 26, 1976: The CN Tower opens.
JUNE 27, 1991: Yugoslav forces enter Slovenia after the small republic declares independence.
JUNE 28, 1981: Marathon of Hope runner Terry Fox dies.
JUNE 29, 1864: Nearly 100 people die in a train wreck at St-Hilaire, Que.
JUNE 30, 1987: The loonie makes its debut.
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