When the second world war started in 1939, the civilian population was evacuated to Britain, Madeira and Jamaica so that the necessary fortifications (and artillery) could be installed to protect against a likely German assault.
Over 30,000 British servicemen lived on the Rock of Gibraltar for most of the war years.
The civilian population started to return [...]
Gibraltar became a British Colony, in perpetuity, under the Treaties of Utrecht in 1713.
The Rock has suffered several attempts to be retaken by Spain, most notably the Great Siege of 1779 to 1783, but has remained under British control at all times since the treaties.
Part of the agreement was that there would be no overland [...]
In 1847, a Portuguese Jew named David (Don) Pacifico, a trader and the Portuguese consul to Athens in the reign of King Otto, had his home in Athens vandalised and suffered significant losses. Because the mob that had attacked and plundered his home included the sons of at least one government minister, the police turned [...]
