The Friday Digest 05/09/14

This week's update features the 'animal VC' winner, the burning of Washington and the 'Pompeii of the North'.

* A collection of rare Staffordshire records document the tribunals for men appealing against conscription.

* Mutilato In Guerra- an award given to Italian soldiers maimed during the First World War.  

* Warrior, dubbed 'the horse Germans could not kill', is awarded the first ever honorary PDSA Dickin medal (the 'animal VC') in recognition of his bravery.

* Scotland and a nationalism born of the Great War. 

* The burning of Washington and the odd objects that were looted by British troops in 1814. 

* New research has shown that Richard III began to drink more wine and enjoyed a diet filled with lavish foods such as swan, crane and heron after becoming king in 1483.

* Archaeologists have uncovered what is believed to be the only surviving wooden toilet seat from the Roman period near Hadrian's Wall.

* The Ministry of Defence is weighing three 'strong bids' to provide a new home for Britain's last aircraft carrier, HMS Illustrious. 

* Historical Honey's new timeline feature is brilliant - we have spent a lot of time scrolling through the articles in the office!

* Millions of historic images have been posted to Flickr thanks to a digitisation project by American academic Kalev Leetaru. 

* Historical Honey reveal the true story behind the Titanic’s cuddling couple. 

* Decaying and abandoned family homes have been captured on film by Dutch photographer Niki Feijen.

* Poland 1939 and Britain's fatal guarantee ...

* Ancient DNA has revealed that the earliest people in the North American Arctic remained isolated from others in the region for millennia before vanishing around 700 years ago.

* Could you become a citizen of Victorian England? 

* Binchester Roman Fort in County Durham, the ‘Pompeii of the North’, is threatened under plans to sell off the land, which is owned by the Church of England.

* An engraving found at a cave in Gibraltar may be the most compelling evidence yet for the existence of Neanderthal art.

* A recent dry spell at Stonehenge has revealed a secret that has eluded archaeologists for centuries. 

* Thirty-eight of the most iconic landmarks as seen from dusk till dawn.

* The Times' newsroom set to ring with the sounds of typewriters once more ...  

* A stunning map featuring London's literary history. 

* An unused Roald Dahl draft from 1961 spills Charlie and the Chocolate Factory secrets.

 * A bookless library has opened at Florida Polytechnic University but which format do you prefer to read textbooks in?

* Five steps to increasing your book’s marketability with research.

* Why writers must embrace social media, no matter what the genre ... 

  Which history and publishing stories have you enjoyed reading this week?