Page 7: Historical Events In May - 17
Monday, 05 January 2026
1938 The birth of Dennis Hopper, American film actor on May - 17. 

1939 On this day in history british issue the Palestine "White Paper" fixing the upper limit to 75,000 Jews to be admitted into Palestine over the next five years. 

1939 On May - 17 king George VI 1895-1952 and Queen Elizabeth disembark at Wolfe's Cove from the CP ship Empress of Australia to start a month-long royal visit to Canada 

1939 Royal Tour of Canada commences with the arrival of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at Wolfe's Cove, Quebec on the Empress of Canada. The 12 car train, (five from CP, five from CN and the two vice-regal cars), in royal blue and aluminum, left Quebec City on May 18. A pilot train, carrying officials and the press, preceeded the royal train by one hour and no other trains were permitted to travel within this period. The travel arrangements were shared by the two railways with CP being responsible for the westward journey to Victoria. CP used 4-6-4 locomotives 2850 and 2851 for the royal and pilot trains respectively, except for the Ottawa to Brighton, Ont, section, which was over CN track. 2850 hauled the royal train without change right through to Vancouver, a total distance of 3224 miles. Royal crowns were affixed to the running boards of both locomotives and these were eventually fitted to the entire class (2820-2864) which, following approval from their majesties, came to be known as Royal Hudsons on May - 17. 

1939 Sweden, Norway and Finland reject Germany's non-aggression pact on May - 17. 

1939 1st sports telecast-Columbia vs Princeton-college baseball on this day in history. 

1940 On May - 17 germany begins the invasion of France 

1940 Germany occupies Brussels, Belgium on this day in history. 

1940 The Belgian government moves to Ostend because of invading German forces on May - 17. 

1940 On May - 17 germany occupies Brussels, Belgium & begins invasion of France 

1942 On May - 17 dutch SS vows loyalty to Hitler 

1943 Only 8 of the 17 British and Canadian Lancasters of the Dambusters Squadron return from breaching the Mohne and the Eder dams in Germany's industrial Ruhr basin; on this day in history. 

1943 Montagu Love, actor (Wind), dies at 65 on May - 17. 

1944 On May - 17 allied air raid on Surabaja, Java 

1944 On May - 17 chinese/US armed forces take Myitkyina Airport, Burma 

1944 General Eisenhower sets D-Day for June 5th on this day in history. 

1944 On this day in history operation Straightline Allies land in Netherlands New-Guinea 

1944 On this day in history the Bureau of Aeronautics authorized CGAS Floyd Bennett Field to collaborate with the Sperry Gyroscope Company in making an automatic pilot installation in a HNS-1 helicopter. 

1944 Operation Straightline: Allies land in Netherlands New-Guinea on May - 17. 

1945 2 US P-47 Thunderbolts bomb Kiushu on May - 17. 

1945 Jan van Geenen, resistance fighter, dies on May - 17. 

1946 On this day in history kVP Labor/Communists win first post-WW2 Dutch parliamentary elections 

1946 President Truman seizes control of nation's railroads to delay a strike on May - 17. 

1948 On May - 17 israel liberates Acre, Nebi Yusha & Telel-Kadi 

1948 Soviet Union recognized Israel on May - 17. 

1949 On May - 17 british government recognizes Republic of Ireland 

1950 Eduardo Fabini, composer, dies at 67 on this day in history. 

1951 On this day in history karl Heinrich David, composer, dies at 66 

1953 On this day in history eric De Lamarter, composer, dies at 73 

1954 Supreme Court unanimously rules on Brown v Topeka Board of Education reversed 1896 "separate but equal" Plessy Vs Ferguson decision on May - 17. 

1955 On this day in history dutch Government of Drees resigns 

1955 On this day in history alan Fairfax, cricketer (10 Tests for Australia 1928-31), dies 

1957 Canadian National opens a 40 mile diversion of its Montréal to Toronto main line required in the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway on this day in history. 

1957 Prayer Pilgrimage, biggest civil rights demonstration to date (District of Columbia) on this day in history. 

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