November 20

  • 1719 Spranger Barry, an actor who rivalled Garrick on the London stage, described as ‘the wonder and darling of every audience’, born in Skinner’s Row (Christ Church Place), Dublin.
  • 1975 General Francisco Franco (83), El Caudillo, dictator of Spain since 1939, died.
  • 1936 General Eoin O’Duffy led c. 600 Blueshirt followers to Spain as an Irish Brigade in support of General Franco and his nationalist rebels in the Spanish Civil War.
  • 1917 The Battle of Cambrai, Nord-Pas-de-Calais. In an operation that included the first mass tank attack in history, British forces liberated the town with the loss of 44,000 troops.