Everyone knows what's special about April 23rd, don't they? That's right, it was the day, back in 1936, on which 'The Big O' Roy Orbison was born. Of course, it's also St George's Day.
The patron saint of England, Ethiopia, Catalonia, Georgia, agricultural workers, butchers, sheep, soldiers and syphilis, two things we know for certain about St George are that he never fought a dragon and he never visited a UK.
According to Christian tradition, George was a Roman soldier born in the province of Syria Palestinia. Serving under Diocletian, he became something of a favourite of the Emperor's, what with George's father, Gerontius, being a celebrated infantryman.
The relationship between ruler and warrior became strained when Diocletian declared that every Christian soldier under his command was to be put to death. Choosing his God over his leader, George renounced the edict. Generous offers of land and riches couldn't change his mind and nor for that matter could a lengthy spell on the Roman equivalent of the rack. With no other course of action seemingly available to him, Diocletian killed the man he had once loved like a favourite nephew.
Whether any of this actually happened - and whether, as is claimed, George died on April 23rd - is as open to question as the claims that, upon witnessing George's suffering, Diocletian wife, the Empress Alexandra, was so stricken that she instantly embraced Christianity. As for all the stuff about a dragon, that might have its origins in a tale told by returning Crusaders in which the giant reptile represents either Satan or the Roman Emperor and the rescued girl is none other than Alexandra.
George was made a saint at a church council in 1415 - presumably after they'd held the cake raffle. And the day of the council? Why, April 23rd, of course! George isn't solely of interest to Christians, by the way - he's also depicted as a man of great virtue in early Muslim texts.
His celebrated flag, meanwhile, was originally identified as the flag of St Ambrose. We owe it to the Italians - yes, the Italians - for it becoming synonymous with George, since it was flown over Genoa - a city whose patron saint was St George. Of course, then as now, the Italian flag was a white cross on a white background.
OH, YOU LITTLE TINKER!