TODAY IN HISTORY June 6 | Future Star Wars actor part of world's biggest invasion force
American, British and other allied troops stormed the beaches of northern France on June 4, 1944, during the D-Day landings, the start of the liberation of Nazi-occupied western Europe.
Among the invasion force of 150,000 was young naval officer Alec Guinness who commanded a landing craft, ferrying soldiers from warships to the beaches.
After World War II, the British actor became an international star, and went on to win an Oscar in 1957.
But later in his career he joined the cast of the original Star Wars films in the 1970s. He famously portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Master, in the first three movies.
On June 6, 1816, on the eve of the northern hemisphere summer, 25cms of snow fell over the eastern US and the skies turned dark during the day.
The unseasonal weather was caused by the devastating eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia during the previous year.
The disaster killed hundreds of thousands of people but also ejected huge amounts of ash and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, causing global cooling.
The result was massive crop failures across North America, Asia and Europe, with resulting food shortages and unrest in what became known as the "Year Without a Summer".
The dark, damp and cold conditions also inspired British writer Mary Shelley to pen the classic Gothic novel Frankenstein during a holiday in Switzerland.
Sydney Swans star Tony "Plugger" Lockett set a new AFL goal-kicking record on June 6, 1999, when by kicking his 1300th goal at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
A packed crowd of more than 42,000 fans watched Lockett kick the goal early in the match against Collingwood.
Titillating television sitcom Sex & The City first screened on June 6, 1998, the start of a six-year run.
Based on American writer Candace Bushnell's newspaper column of the same name, provided raw commentary on sex and relationships, and depicted empowered female friendships.
The HBO show spawned two films and a continuation series.
On June 6, 1985, police in Brazil exhumed the body of a man believed to be the infamous Nazi death camp doctor Josef Mengele.
During World War II, he carried out horrific experiments on concentration camp prisoners, and by the end of the conflict became the world's most wanted war criminal.
But Brazilian authorities established Mengele been living in the country for 34 years under an assumed identity.
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