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August 24th - August 30th

A battle between Mamluks and Ottomans, the first jet powered air flight, and the origin of The Ashes.

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.

29th August 1882: English cricketers lose to Australia at The Oval. A mock obituary is published, leading to the creation of The Ashes series.

27th August 1939: The first test flight of a jet powered engine takes to the sky in Germany

24th August 1516: Ottoman forces defeat the Mamluk Sultanate at the Battle of Marj Dabiq

5 minutes

On radio

Wed 26 Aug 202611:40
BBC Radio 4

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19/08/2026

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Broadcasts

  • Wed 26 Aug 202611:40
    BBC Radio 4
  • Fri 28 Aug 202620:55
    BBC Radio 4

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