^B{^#!16!29 April^N! National Day of Japan. Feast day of St Catherine of Siena, St Wilfrid the Younger, St Hugh of Cluny, St Endellion, St Joseph Cottolengo, St Robert of Molesme, and St Peter the Martyr.
^B{1429^B} The Siege of OrlΘans was lifted by a French army under the leadership of Joan of Arc. ^B{1884^B} Oxford University agreed to admit female students to examinations. ^B{1913^B} Swedish-born US inventor Gideon Sundback patented the zipper in its modern form - earlier versions had not been successful. ^B{1916^B} Republican rebels destroyed the Post Office in Dublin. ^B{1945^B} The German army in Italy surrendered to the Allies under the British General Alexander.
^B{^I{^#!14!Born ^N}Thomas Beecham, English conductor, ^B{1879^B}; 'Duke' Ellington, US composer and bandleader, ^B{1899^B}; Emperor Hirohito of Japan, ^B{1901^B}; Fred Zinneman, US film director, ^B{1907^B}; Peter de la BiliΦre, British commander in the Gulf War, ^B{1934^B}; Zubin Mehta, Indian conductor, ^B{1936^B}; Saddam Hussein, president of Iraq, ^B{1937^B}.
^B{^I{^#!14!Died ^N}George Farquhar, Irish playwright, ^B{1707^B}; Constantinos Cavafy, Greek poet, ^B{1933^B}; Wallace Carothers, US chemist who patented nylon, ^B{1937^B}; Alfred Hitchcock, English film director, ^B{1980^B}; Andrew Cruikshank, English actor, ^B{1988^B}.
