The epic French annual sporting event, the bicycle Tour de France, commenced for 1920 on this day.
On the same day, British General Cuthbert Lucas, a veteran of the Boer War and World War One, was kidnapped by the Irish Republican Army along with two colonels. They were fishing at the time. The colonels were released after one of them was wounded while trying to escape.
During his captivity his wife gave birth, which he became aware of as she sent him a letter simply addressed "to the IRA" informing him of the news. Following that, his captors allowed for an exchange of letters between the couple. While he was threatened with execution, his captors relaxed his guard after some months to allow him to escape. Upon being recovered by the British, he termed his captors "gentlemen" and "delightful people".
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