100 years ago: this very minute. 25th July 1909, approx 05:12 GMT
Louis Blériot lands in Northfall Meadow, behind Dover Castle, and completes the first flight across a large body of water in a heavier-than-air craft.
The man to Blériot’s left in the picture, wearing the natty cap, is Charles Fontaine - a representative of the French newspaper Le Matin. As Blériot turned along the English coast towards Dover, he flew through a gap in the cliffs, where Fontaine was signalling to him with a tricolor flag.
Although Blériot’s arrival was seen by many from afar, it is believed that the only eyewitness to the actual landing was a P.C Stanford - one of the policeman pictured behind the aircraft.
July 25, 2009, 5:12am
