This Day In History : October 8

1932 India

The Indian Air Force established

The Indian Air Force (IAF) was formally established on October 8, 1932, by the British Empire as an auxiliary air force of the Royal Air Force (RAF). Initially named the Royal Indian Air Force, it became an independent service in 1947 when India gained independence from British rule.

Also on This Day in History October 8

Discover what happened on October 8 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, October 8
  • 1895 Juan Perón

    Argentine military officer and President of Argentina (1946-55, 73-74)

  • 1951 Maki Kaji

    Japanese puzzlemaker was known as the “Father of Sudoku”

  • 1918 Jens Christian Skou

    Danish scientist (Nobel Prize for Chemistry 1997)

  • 1913 Robert Rowe Gilruth

    American aerospace scientist, engineer, and a pioneer of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs

  • 1869 J. Frank Duryea

    American inventor (Duryea Motor Wagon Company, first auto built in the US)

Deaths on This Day, October 8
  • 1793 John Hancock

    American merchant and statesman who was 1st to sign the Declaration of Independence

  • 1904 Clemens Alexander Winkler

    German chemist who discovered the element germanium

  • 1894 Norbert Rillieux

    American chemical engineer and inventor (sugar refiner)

  • 1942 Sergei Chaplygin

    Russian physicist and engineer

  • 1967 Clement Attlee

    British politician, Prime Minister of Great Britain (1945-51)

1645

First hospital in Montreal, Quebec founded, the Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal by nurse Jeanne Mance

In 1645, nurse Jeanne Mance founded the Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal, the first hospital in Montreal, Quebec. This historic institution was established to provide medical care to French settlers and Indigenous peoples in New France, marking a significant development in healthcare in North America.
1871

The Great Chicago Fire

The Great Chicago Fire occurred on October 8-10, 1871, devastating large parts of Chicago, Illinois. It started in a barn owned by Patrick and Catherine O'Leary and quickly spread due to dry weather conditions and wooden buildings. The fire destroyed thousands of structures, left tens of thousands homeless, and had a profound impact on urban planning and fire safety measures in the United States.
1912

First Balkan war begins

The First Balkan War was a conflict that began on October 8, 1912, and involved the Balkan League (comprising Serbia, Montenegro, Greece, and Bulgaria) against the Ottoman Empire. The primary goal of the Balkan League was to liberate the Balkan Christian populations from Ottoman rule. The war saw significant military successes by the Balkan states, resulting in the Ottoman Empire losing most of its European territories.
1604

The supernova now called “Kepler's nova” was first sighted

In 1604, the supernova now known as "Kepler's Nova" was first sighted in the constellation Ophiuchus. This astronomical event was one of the brightest observed supernovae in history and was extensively studied by the renowned astronomer Johannes Kepler. The supernova's appearance provided significant insights into the nature of stellar explosions and the life cycles of stars.
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