The Friday Digest brings you the best of the week's history news gathered from the experts:
* As the centenary of the First World War draws ever closer, two pupils and a teacher from every state secondary school in England are to visit French and Belgian battlefields as part of the commemoration project by the government. The project asks the pupils to research local people who fought in the war to pay tribute to the fallen.
The government will announce details of its cultural programme to commemorate the centenary on Monday morning and authors have been preparing to mark it with the release of many new books.
* The subject of one such book is Sir Basil Clarke, a remarkable war reporter who defied the censorship imposed by the British military and went on to have a fascinating career as a national PR officer in London. He is credited with inventing the term 'no mans land' and is also lauded as the 'father of public relations'. I hadn't heard of Basil Clarke so this has piqued my curiosity, clearly he was a very interesting man!
* The RAF Museum have finally managed to raise the WWII Dornier bomber from the seabed at Goodwin Sands. Despite a number of issues that delayed the salvage, the plane is in one piece and will be restored in Shropshire before going on display at the RAF museum in Hendon. This piece from the museum pays its respects to the fallen airman and emphasises the importance of commemoration. Find out more about the Dornier 17 and see an interactive 3D model here.
* As it is Father's Day this Sunday (I hope you have already got your gift sorted!) Andre Gerard has chosen the top 10 father memoirs. As with most articles like this, the books suggested by the article are just the tip of the iceberg and the comments have many more brilliant suggestions.
I'm sure many people have key advice from their fathers (and mothers) that they will always remember (tip from my dad; always add the vinegar to your chips before the salt as it helps the salt to stick better!) and these 9 children's books have also got some powerful life lessons to share.
* Jiroemon Kimura, the oldest man in history, has died at the age of 116. I can't ever imagine living to that age but apparently Kimura's positivity is what kept him going - a life lesson for us all I think!
* From 'save our bookstores' to print is dead', 10 bookish conversations we never want to have again.
* Is crime fiction the new punk?
* Fairly or not, accountants are often seen as being quite dull but the style obsessed accountant who created the first book of fashion begs to differ. Matthaeus Schwarz started commissioning watercolour paintings of himself and his outfits at the age of 23 and continued until he was 63, producing a truly unique piece of work. I'm not sure there are many fashion bloggers who have a 40 year archive!
* Public speaking is nerve-wracking at the best of times but reading extracts from your book can make it even more scary. Randy Susan Meyers has gathered 10 tips for writers talking in public.
* In an effort to punish homosexuality, Mussolini accidentally created a gay island community.
* A location has been decided for the new King Richard III visitor centre in Leicester. The former Grammar School building will undergo a £4 million transformation and will be the location for a breathtaking new exhibition, entitled 'Richard III: Dynasty, Death and Discovery' which will guide visitors through the dramatic story of the king's life, brutal death at Bosworth Field in 1485, and the fascinating story of his rediscovery.
* Everyone has heard the tale of Hannibal and his elephant army but how many elephants did the Carthiginians actually have?
* Many people are nostalgic for the 'good old days' of pen and ink but one man feels only joy about relying on machines in his struggle to communicate with written language.
* Heritage and preservation of history can be a controversial topic and the news that the Palace of Westminster and its environs, Hayle Harbour in Cornwall, and the Giant's Causeway in Antrim are threatened by commercial development has caused outrage. UNESCO have recommended that the three sites should be described as 'endangered', which is one step away from removal from the list altogether, a fate which has so far befallen only two of the 962 in the world.
What do you think is the best way to preserve historical sites?
* A Tube map made of Lego has been unveiled at King's Cross - I think this is even more fun than the world metro map!
* 50 years ago , Valentina Tereshkova, a young Soviet worker became the first woman to travel into space but just how much has life changed for the 'Greta Garbo of space' and her family since 16 June 1963?
* The Shrewsbury family crypt has been rediscovered in the Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul in Sheffield, but where are all of the bodies?
Which history and publishing stories have you enjoyed reading this week?