Wikipedia:Main Page history/2020 March 28

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

Stanley McDougall

The First Battle of Dernancourt was fought on 28 March 1918 near Dernancourt in northern France during World War I. Two Australian divisions had been sent south from Belgium to help stem the tide of the German Spring Offensive towards Amiens and, with the British 35th Division, they held a line west and north of the Ancre river and the area between the Ancre and Somme. The German 2nd Army concentrated its assault between Albert and Dernancourt, attacking off the line of march after a short artillery preparation. The dawn attack was under the cover of fog, but other than one small penetration in the early morning that was quickly repelled, the Germans failed to break through the Allied defences. An Australian sergeant, Stanley McDougall (pictured), was awarded the Victoria Cross for his part in defeating the German penetration. A week later the Germans renewed their attempts to advance in the sector, culminating in the Second Battle of Dernancourt when the Germans were again defeated. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know ...

Drawing from Brush's aircraft patent application

... that Mary Taylor Brush filed a 1917 patent (drawing shown) for a design to make aircraft "practically invisible when in the air"?
... that the Aberbargoed Grasslands in Wales were designated a Special Area of Conservation primarily due to their population of marsh fritillary butterflies, which had been threatened by an arson attack?
... that sculptor Dan Lam was born in a refugee camp in Morong, Philippines?
... that a deep-sea fish known as a black ruff was caught in a salmon net in the Firth of Forth and donated to the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art in 1901?
... that the offices of the Chanin Organization in New York City's Chanin Building contained "America's finest bathroom" and a set of ornate bronze gates?
... that Japanese voice actor Shugo Nakamura, who has voiced characters in The Idolmaster SideM and other anime series, was recognized as one of the Best New Actors at the 2019 Seiyu Awards?
... that musician Finneas made a cameo appearance as an Uber driver in the music video for Tove Lo's song "Bikini Porn"?
... that at the age of 10, Sky Brown became the youngest professional skateboarder in the world?

In the news

Coronavirus pandemic

Flag of North Macedonia

North Macedonia (flag pictured) becomes a NATO member state.
Igor Matovič becomes Prime Minister of Slovakia following elections in February.
Edwin Catmull and Pat Hanrahan receive the Turing Award for their work on computer-generated imagery.

On this day

March 28: Serfs Emancipation Day in Tibet (1959)

Fabre Hydravion

1802 – German astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Matthias Olbers discovered Pallas, the second asteroid ever identified, but then considered to be a planet.
1862 – American Civil War: An invasion of the New Mexico Territory by the Confederate States Army was halted by Union forces at the Battle of Glorieta Pass.
1910 – French aviator Henri Fabre's floatplane, the Fabre Hydravion (pictured), became the first aircraft to take off from water under its own power at the Étang de Berre near Martigues in southern France.
1930 – The name of Turkey's largest city was changed from Constantinople to Istanbul, with the government requesting other countries to use Turkish names for its cities.
2015 – A siege of a hotel in Mogadishu by Al-Shabaab militants, which began the previous day and killed at least 20 people, ended with the Somali Armed Forces recapturing the premises.

Stephen Harding (d. 1134) · Gussie Busch (b. 1899) · Eileen Crofton (b. 1919)

More anniversaries:

Today's featured picture

Thomas Willing (1731–1821) was an American merchant, a delegate from Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress, and the first president of the First Bank of the United States. After studying abroad in England, he returned to Philadelphia in 1749, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits, in partnership with Robert Morris. They established the firm Willing, Morris and Company in 1757. This exported flour, lumber and tobacco to Europe while importing sugar, rum, molasses, and slaves from the West Indies and Africa; their partnership continued until 1793. Despite voting against the Declaration of Independence as a member of the Continental Congress in 1775 and 1776, he later contributed £5,000 to the revolutionary cause.

This picture is a 1782 oil-on-canvas portrait of Willing by American artist Charles Willson Peale. He is depicted here in front of shipping on the Atlantic Ocean, the source of his wealth and status. He holds in his hand a snuff box, an emblem of his business interests and patriotism; it bears a profile of his close friend George Washington and contains powdered tobacco, one of his most profitable exports. The painting is now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Painting credit: Charles Willson Peale

Recently featured:

Other areas of Wikipedia

Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.