Sunday, 29th December 1940 in London
Welcome to your daily snapshot of London! It's International Day of Biodiversity. Explore 34 historical events, birthdays, deaths, and milestones that shaped this day in London. From remarkable moments in local and world history to the people who left their mark — find out what makes today special. Today's weather in London brings cloudy with temperatures between 1°C and 6°C. Tonight's moon is in its waxing gibbous phase, and the zodiac sign of the day is Capricorn. If you're curious about the history of a day — this page brings together everything worth knowing about this Sunday, 29th December in London, GB.
On 29 December 1940, London experienced what would become one of the most significant nights of the Second World War. The Luftwaffe launched a major bombing raid on the British capital as part of the Blitz, an assault later referred to as the "Second Great Fire of London". The attack devastated large areas of the city and marked an intensification of the German air campaign against Britain. London, situated in south-east England on the River Thames, served as the principal target for Nazi Germany's aerial bombardment throughout the war, making it crucial to understand the historical context of air raids during this period.
The weather on this Sunday was cloudy, with the moon in its waxing gibbous phase, conditions that likely provided some cover for the German bombers conducting their night-time operations. Those born on this date would fall under the zodiac sign of Capricorn. Such atmospheric conditions were common during the winter months of the Blitz, which lasted from September 1940 to May 1941 and resulted in widespread destruction across London and other British cities.
Looking at historical parallels, aviation disasters would later mark 29 December as a date of tragedy. In 1994, Turkish Airlines Flight 278 crashed on approach to Van Ferit Melen Airport in Turkey, killing 57 of the 76 people on board, demonstrating how air transport accidents would become a recurring concern in the decades following the Second World War. American physicist Richard Feynman delivered his groundbreaking speech "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom" in 1959, which laid the intellectual foundation for nanotechnology and demonstrated how scientific advancement would shape the post-war world.
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What the Weather Had in Store for London on 29th December 1940
Words without listening are sails without wind – motion without direction.
Fortune of the Day
29th December in the Stars – Star Sign Pisces
Personality Profile
Personality Those born on December 29th blend classic Capricorn ambition with intellectual curiosity and communication flair. Mercury's influence in this decan subtly softens the typical Goat's reserve, infusing their methodical nature with mental agility and social ease.
Strengths & Weaknesses Their greatest strengths are strategic thinking, articulate expression, and reliable execution. Weaknesses include occasional impatience with less pragmatic people and a tendency to bury emotional needs beneath duty and accomplishment.
Love These individuals are loyal, though initially guarded partners. They build relationships on trust and shared ambitions but require time to express feelings openly and lower their protective walls.
Caree & Finance Career comes naturally—they excel in management, planning, and intellectually demanding fields. Financial security isn't a goal but a reflex; they methodically build wealth with discipline and clear foresight.
Health Physically resilient yet prone to stress-related tension from overwork. Regular exercise and conscious relaxation practices help balance their driven energy and ensure long-term wellbeing.
That night, the moon was in its waxing gibbous phase.
Chinese year of the Dragon (Metal).
Fun Facts About 29th December
Name Days in Your Language: Dave, David, Davida, Davion, Davis, Davy, Dawson, Dayton, Jess, Jesse, Jessica, Jessie, Jessy, Vida
Someone born on this day in 1940 would be 85 years old today — just 31,148 days into life, which is roughly 747,563 hours, 44,853,830 minutes, or 2,691,229,808 seconds spent on Earth so far.
It's the 364. day of the year.
As this is a leap year, there are 2 days still to come.
We’re currently in Week 52 — the year marches on.
Famous Birthdays on 29th December
- Bill Aucoin, American talent manager (died 2010) (1943)
- Molly Bang, American author and illustrator (1943)
- Rick Danko, Canadian singer-songwriter, bass player, and producer (died 1999) (1943)
- Dinah Christie, English-Canadian actress and singer (1942)
- Rajesh Khanna, Indian actor (died 2012) (1942)
- Dorothy Morkis, American equestrian (1942)
- Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, Honduran cardinal (1942)
- Ray Thomas, English singer-songwriter and flute player (died 2018) (1941)
- Fred Hansen, American pole vaulter (1940)
- Ed Bruce, American country music singer-songwriter (died 2021) (1939)
Lives Remembered on 29th December
- Art Young, American cartoonist and writer (born 1866) (1943)
- Louis Eilshemius, American painter (born 1864) (1941)
- Tullio Levi-Civita, Italian mathematician and scholar (born 1873) (1941)
- Stephen Birch, American businessman (born 1873) (1940)
- Kelly Miller, American mathematician, sociologist, essayist, newspaper columnist and author (born 1863) (1939)
- Madeleine Pelletier, French psychiatrist, feminist and political activist (born 1874) (1939)
- Don Marquis, American journalist, author, and playwright (born 1878) (1937)
- Alma Tell, American actress (born 1898) (1937)
Celebrations & Special Days Worldwide on 29th December
- Christian feast day: Ebrulf
- Christian feast day: Thomas Becket
- Christian feast day: Trophimus of Arles
- Christian feast day: December 29 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Constitution Day (Ireland)
- Independence Day (Mongolia)
- The fifth day of Christmas (Western Christianity)
- The fourth day of Kwanzaa (United States)
What Happened on 29th December?
- Jeju Air Flight 2216 crashes into a wall in Muan, South Korea, killing 179 of the 181 occupants. It is the worst aircraft accident on South Korean soil in history. (2024)
- South Africa files a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice over Israeli conducts in the Gaza Strip. (2023)
- A magnitude 6.4 earthquake hits near the town of Petrinja in Sisak-Moslavina County, Croatia, killing seven people. (2020)
- A suicide bomb attack at the Volgograd-1 railway station in the southern Russian city of Volgograd kills at least 18 people and wounds 40 others. (2013)
- Seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher suffers a massive head injury while skiing in the French Alps. (2013)
- A Tupolev Tu-204 airliner crashes in a ditch between the airport fence and the M3 highway after overshooting a runway at Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow, Russia, killing five people and leaving three others critically injured. (2012)
- The UK settles its Anglo-American loan, post-WWII loan debt. (2006)
- The last known speaker of Akkala Sami dies, rendering the language extinct. (2003)
- Leaders of the Khmer Rouge apologize for the Cambodian genocide that claimed over one million lives. (1998)
- Guatemala and leaders of Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity sign a peace accord ending a 36-year civil war. (1996)