On 17 August 1424 French and Scots troops suffer defeat at the Battle of Verneuil at the hands of English forces.

The Franco-Scottish army was commanded by John, the Earl of Buchan, and Archibald, Earl of Douglas. the battle was final attempt to dislodge the English from Normandy, and took place about 50 miles west of Paris. The battle consisted of about 15,000 French and Scottish forces attacking the English army of 9,000 commanded by the Duke of Bedford. Repeated franco-Scottish charges were sharply cut down by English longbowmen. About half the of the army were lost; the rest retreated. The overall result of the battle was the removal of the Scots as a major aid to the French cause.

On 17 August 1876 James Drummond, Lord Perth, the Scottish statesman and diplomat, was born. Drummond is most notable as the First Secretary-General of the League of Nations, the abortive attempt to create an international arbriter after the First World War.

Drummond served for fourteen years as Secretary-General between 1919 and 1933. Drummond is credited with establishing an efficient international civil service of some 675 men and women, which ensured the smooth running of the League's two other main organs, the Council and the Assembly.

After leaving the League Drummond served as British Ambassador to Italy, until 1939 and after the war he served as deputy leader of the Liberal Party until his death.

Today's recipe: crab linguine is a simple, snappy, seasonal dish.