useless trivia: What Word Means: A Northern Nigerian?

Questions

In 1937 Beryl ---------- UK, won record (7) women's cycling titles, born?

In 1940 Nazi blitz conquest of France began by crossing ---------- River?

In 1943 Axis forces in ---------- surrender?

In 1948 Steve ---------- England, rocker (A Higher Love), born?

In 1949 West begins ---------- Airlift to get supplies around Soviet blockade?