HAW Monthly Free Talks
The talks, will cover a variety of subjects and conflicts, and from June 2023 take place on the third Thursday of every month. We are busy organising a selection of eminent historians, authors and speakers for the future. Any thoughts or suggestions gratefully received.
We strongly recommend joining the emailing list to received details of future talks and details of any unavoidable changes or amendments should they be necessary.
Cost: Our talks are FREE, but if you enjoy them, cash donations are encouraged - we rely totally on them to cover our costs - venue, speakers etc.! Whenever possible a complimentary drink will also be provided. Car parking is also free.
Booking for TALKS: Booking is not essential, but for organisational and capacity reasons (setting up the chairs etc.), it would help us enormously if you did. Booking details appear in the details for each talk.
Time: Doors open 7pm for a prompt 7:30pm start.
Location:
- The Welwyn Civic Centre, Prospect Place, Welwyn (Old) AL6 9ER - www.welwynhalls.com
- Printable location map.
- Nearest station Welwyn North (1.5 miles)
Guy Bartlett - "Barnes Wallis & 617 Squadron' - The Dambusters"
Guy Bartlett - "Barnes Wallis & 617 Squadron' - The Dambusters" The Talk: You might think that you know lots about Barnes Wallis and the Dambusters - let's see! Discover the skill and bravery of the crews of 19 Lancaster aircraft as well as the vision and determination of inventor Barnes Wallis. Operation “Chastise” has become a legend in military history as it contains all the traditionall...
Helen Fry - "Women In Intelligence - A Hidden History From WW1 to WW2"
Helen Fry - "Women In Intelligence - A Hidden History From WW1 to WW2" The Talk: In twentieth century, women took on an extraordinary range of roles in intelligence, defying the conventions of their time. Across both world wars, far from being a small part of covert operations, they ran spy networks and escape lines, parachuted behind enemy lines and interrogated prisoners. Meanwhile, back at B...
Tim Halstead - "More Than Victims of Horace - Public Schools 1914-1918"
Tim Halstead - "More Than Victims of Horace - Public Schools 1914-1918" The Talk: Public schoolboys in the Great War have been portrayed as being romantic patriots heavily influenced by the teaching of the classics and the playing of games. In this talk and drawing on his extensive research, Tim Halstead will demonstrate that this was far from the case and that public schools made an important...
Ian Castle - "Gotha Raids during the First World War"
Ian Castle - "Gotha Raids during the First World War" The Talk: TBC About the Speaker: Ian is an author and a leading historian of Germany’s WW1 air raids on Britain. Tickets: Entry is free, but we rely totally on donations to cover our costs! - Hall, speaker, drink etc. We suggest £5 per person - or whatever you can afford. Booking: You do not need to book, but it would help us if you did (i.e...
Steve Bacon - "A Very Lucky Sailor - The Merchant Navy in WW2"
Steve Bacon - A Very Lucky Sailor - The Merchant Navy in WW2 The Talk: TBC About the Speaker: TBC Tickets: Entry is free, but we rely totally on donations to cover our costs! - Hall, speaker, drink etc. We suggest £5 per person - or whatever you can afford. Booking: You do not need to book, but it would help us if you did (i.e. hall preparation and refreshments etc.). Book your FREE tickets HER...
Nigel Crompton - "The Women's Police Service in the Great War"
Nigel Crompton - "The Women's Police Service in the Great War" The Talk: includes a description of the involvement of the Ministry of Munitions who thanks to contracts with the Service during 1916 led to massive growth in the number of female police officers required to guard different factories. We start with the forming of the service and the reasons. We look at the founder members who on occ...
Roger Thompson - "The Korean War"
Roger Thompson - The Korean War The Talk: TBC About the Speaker: TBC Tickets: Entry is free, but we rely totally on donations to cover our costs! - Hall, speaker, drink etc. We suggest £5 per person - or whatever you can afford. Booking: You do not need to book, but it would help us if you did (i.e. hall preparation and refreshments etc.). Book your FREE tickets HERE - Coming soon! Location map...
Jim Nicolson - "The Lost Battalion"
Jim Nicolson - "The Lost Battalion" The Talk: On the evening of 2nd October 1918, Maj. Charles Whittlesley led a force of 442 men into the narrow, muddy Charlevaux ravine, in the Argonne Forest of France at least a mile in front of the main American forces. That night they were cut off and surrounded by the Germans and attacked almost continuously for the next five days and nights, a total of 1...
Roger Yapp - "Poles Apart"
Roger Yapp - "Poles Apart" The Talk: 'Poles Apart' is the almost unknown story of three country houses where Polish wireless operatives, technicians and code breakers played a significant part in the effort to ultimately win WW2. The story traces the journey of the main characters from Poland, through Kazakstan, to Persia, Egypt, Scotland and eventually to villages near Hemel Hempstead, where t...
Geoff Cunnington - "Grand Fleet Lives: picturing Royal Navy sailors’ postcards in the First World War"
Geoff Cunnington - "Grand Fleet Lives: picturing Royal Navy sailors" postcards in the First World War The Talk: For this visually rich presentation, Geoff will draw upon his extensive collection of Royal Navy sailors’ postcards from the First World War. He will use the unique visual-textual format of the postcard to explain and contextualise the lives and experiences of the ordinary sailors and...
Roy Larkin - "The Invisible Corps" (the Army Service Corps)
Roy Larkin - 'The Invisible Corps" The Talk: Roy's talk looks at the vital part that the Army Service Corps played during the Great War through the use of mechanical transport. A story of growth, evolution, inter-service rivalry and meddling civilians. The talk is brought to life with numerous period photographs. About: Roy Larkin's interest in the Great War began with its influence on the Brit...
Doug Kirby - "A London Soldier of the Great War"
Doug Kirby - ''From Finsbury Park to the Front Line' About: Formerly a teacher in Hertfordshire, Doug had a career change which saw him work for several investment and pensions companies in a variety of business development roles until he retired in December 2019. Although he taught some history, he became increasingly interested in WW1 and family history after watching Ian Hislop on the BBC pr...
Steve Chambers - "Mapping the Old Front Line"
Steve Chambers - "Mapping the Old Front Line" About: Based in the south-east of England, Stephen Chambers is one of the leading military historians on the Gallipoli campaign. Even though this is his prime passion, he also has in-depth knowledge of many British military campaigns and battles that include Waterloo to the end of the Second World War. Stephen is a freelance battlefield guide, autho...
Guy Thomas - "London Colney Airfield"
Guy Thomas - "The History of the Royal Flying Corps and US Air Corps at London Colney Airfield 1916-1919" About: Guy Thomas has a lifelong interest in Aviation Heritage and has written and published several aeronautical drawings and articles. He has recently developed an ‘Aviation & Auto Heritage’ website and as a Tour Guide with the RAF Museum, he has been researching the history of London...
Jim Nicolson - "Nicolson - The Battle of Britain VC"
Jim Nicolson - "Flight Lieutenant (later Wing Commander) ‘Nick’ Nicolson VC, DFC – The Battle of Britain VC" About: Jim is a keen student of the Great War with a special interest in The Somme. Often takes groups to that area and elsewhere. He is Nick Nicolson's nephew, The Talk: Nicolson was the only Battle of Britain pilot and the only pilot of RAF Fighter Command to be awarded the Victoria Cr...
HAW Battlefield Tour 2023
The Hindenburg Line Battlefield Tour For 2023 we have decided to join forces with our good friends, the Hertfordshire Constabulary Great War Society, and run a tour in association with them. Many of us have toured with them before as individuals and their members often attend our talks. Why not join us as we return to the battlefields of France for a: Our three-day, two-night tour: Fri 8th – S...
Ian Castle - "The Zeppelin Onslaught – Britain’s Forgotten Blitz"
Ian Castle - "The Zeppelin Onslaught – Britain’s Forgotten Blitz" About: Ian is an author and a leading historian of Germany’s WW1 air raids on Britain. Our Talk: Ian Castle will tell the fascinating story of these early air raids, this First Blitz, or perhaps more appropriately, this forgotten Blitz. At the beginning of the First World War, Britain had little in the way of an aerial defence ca...
Tony Scott - 'The work of the CWGC'
Tony (Scottie) Scott - 'The CWGC - an introduction to the history and the ongoing work of the CWGC About: Scottie is an official Commonwealth War Grave Commission speaker and well known guide - Scottie was one of the great guides that supported us at St Julien in 1917 when we unveiled the memorial to the Herts Regiment. The Talk: On the work of the CWGC - The CWGC care for 23,000 war memorials...
Steve Darlow - 'D-Day Bombers The Veterans' Story'
Steve Darlow - 'D-Day Bombers The Veterans' Story' About: Steve Darlow is a writer, publisher and documentary consultant and often called upon as a contributor, consultant, or researcher for documentaries, such as Britain’s Flying Past – the Lancaster, and the Smithsonian Channel ‘s Air Warriors – Spitfire. Steve also co-produced and acted as historical consultant on the recently released featu...
Peter Hart & Gary Bain - “Laugh or Cry – In The Trenches”
We are very excited to let you know that our opening talk in our new programme will be given by two very well known military historians – Peter Hart & Gary Bain presenting their fantastic talk: “Laugh or Cry – In The Trenches” A selection of the authors books will be on offer at very reasonable prices! Book your FREE tickets here ** Location map here ** Although entrance is FREE, booking...
HAW Battlefield Tour 2022
The Herts at War Project makes an exciting return to the Battlefields of the Western Front with our 2022 Battlefield Tour - Our Back to Boots on the Ground Tour - a tour led by an expert Battlefield Guides and Historians: Dan Hill and Paul Johnson. The tour follows men from Hertfordshire and covers aspects of both the First & Second World Wars, on the ground and in the air. Why not join us...
HAW Battlefield Tour 2020
Day One: Friday 21st August Picking up in Hertfordshire, we will travel to Cambrai via Folkestone to Calais Tunnel. En-route to the Hotel we visit the 1915 front focussing on Neuve Chapelle and the Battle of Loos. We will study the actions of Ted Warner VC from Tring and local man Fergus Bowes Lyon. Overnight in Cambrai. Day Two: Saturday 22nd AugustA morning study following the stories of loc...
Dr Mark Baldwin - Alan Turing and The Codebreakers of Bletchley Park
Details to be confirmed Book your tickets here - public link coming soon! Members can book now, to join visit Membership. Get directions here.
Ben Mayne - The Battle of Bosworth - Event courtesy of Dan Hill's 'History from Home'
Ben Mayne - The Battle of Bosworth This will be an online talk and you will need Zoom installed on your device, if you have not already done so install via: For computers (ideally you need a camera and microphone - these are normally built in to laptops) visit Zoom/downloadFor tablets and phones visit your Appstore, search for Zoom and download To book your place visit "Bookings". Talk starts...
Victoria Taylor – Fighter Aces in the First World War
Please note: because of Coronvirus restrictions this talk has moved online! www.hertsatwar.co.uk/subscribe-to-emails Victoria Taylor – Fighter Aces in the First World War This will be an online talk and you will need Zoom installed on your device, if you have not already done so install via: For computers (ideally you need a camera and microphone - these are normally built in to laptops) visit...
James Holland - Normandy 1944 - Event courtesy of Dan Hill's 'History from Home'
James Holland - Normandy 1944 This will be an online talk and you will need Zoom installed on your device, if you have not already done so install via: For computers (ideally you need a camera and microphone - these are normally built in to laptops) visit Zoom/downloadFor tablets and phones visit your Appstore, search for Zoom and download To book your place visit "Bookings". Talk starts at 19...
Alex Owen - The Battle of Waterloo - Event courtesy of Dan Hill's 'History from Home'
Alex Owen - The Battle of Waterloo This will be an online talk and you will need Zoom installed on your device, if you have not already done so install via: For computers (ideally you need a camera and microphone - these are normally built in to laptops) visit Zoom/downloadFor tablets and phones visit your Appstore, search for Zoom and download To book your place visit "Bookings". Talk starts...
Andrew Lock - The Battle of the Somme - Event courtesy of Dan Hill's 'History from Home'
Andrew Lock - The Battle of the Somme This will be an online talk and you will need Zoom installed on your device, if you have not already done so install via: For computers (ideally you need a camera and microphone - these are normally built in to laptops) visit Zoom/downloadFor tablets and phones visit your Appstore, search for Zoom and download To book your place visit "Bookings". Talk star...
Kate Jamieson Battle of Trafalgar - Event courtesy of Dan Hill's 'History from Home'
Kate Jamieson - Battle of Trafalgar This will be an online talk and you will need Zoom installed on your device, if you have not already done so install via: For computers (ideally you need a camera and microphone - these are normally built in to laptops) visit Zoom/downloadFor tablets and phones visit your Appstore, search for Zoom and download To book your place visit "Bookings". Talk starts...
Jesse Alexander - The Battle of Berlin - Event courtesy of Dan Hill's 'History from Home'
Jesse Alexander - The Battle of Berlin This will be an online talk and you will need Zoom installed on your device, if you have not already done so install via: For computers (ideally you need a camera and microphone - these are normally built in to laptops) visit Zoom/downloadFor tablets and phones visit your Appstore, search for Zoom and download To book your place visit "Bookings". Talk sta...
Peter Caddick-Adams - Battle of the Bulge - Event courtesy of Dan Hill's 'History from Home' (1)
This will be an online talk and you will need GoToMeeting installed on your device, if you have not already done so install via: For computers (from the computer you use) visit global.gotomeeting.com/installFor tablets and phones visit your Appstore, search for GoToMeeting and download To book your place visit "Bookings". Talk starts at 19:30 prompt - login at 19:25 or before. Indications are...
Steve Chambers – Guests of the Sultan: Gallipoli POWs
During the Dardanelles campaign the Turks took very few prisoners. With stories of beatings, abuses, torture and executions, no one wanted to fall into the hands of the enemy. But, what was the truth? Stephen Chambers is Trustee and historian of the Gallipoli Association. Whilst Gallipoli is his prime passion, he also has in-depth knowledge of many British military campaigns and battles that...
Alex Churchill – Who was T E Lawrence?
Lawrence of Arabia? Alexandra first became involved in military history through contributions, both on screen and through research, on a variety of television documentaries aired from 2009 onwards including 'Fighting the Red Baron', WW1 Tunnels of Death - The Big Dig' and a feature about the Lusitania Disaster. As an impressive and passionate writer, she has produced several books, about the Gr...
Roger Moorhouse – First to Fight – Poland in WW2
Roger is a fluent German speaker and a specialist in modern German history, particularly on Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. He has written for many national newspapers including, The Times, The Independent on Sunday, and the Financial Times, and is a regular contributor to both the BBC History magazine and History Today. As a speaker he has appeared at the Edinburgh International Book Fest...
Peter Barton – Espionage in the First World War
Peter Barton is a well known historian and prolific writer on First World War matters, but perhaps best known as a film-maker and broadcaster, producing and presenting revealing historical documentaries for television and festivals. From 2002 to 2013, he was secretary of the All Party Parliamentary War Heritage Group. He works as a consultant with the French and Belgian institutes of Archaeolog...
Dan Hill – The Great War – The Big Picture
Details to be confirmed Book your tickets here - link coming soon! Get directions here.
HAW Battlefield Tour 2019
This year’s tour will offer something completely new for Herts at War in that our annual tour will depart from the Western Front and head to Normandy to spend four day following the fortunes of Hertfordshire’s servicemen in the 1944 D-Day landings and subsequent fighting for Normandy. Based at a Hotel in Port-en-Bessin, we will spend three nights in the area. The proposed itinerary is as follow...
Guy Walters - The Real Great Escape
Guy Walters is a historian, broadcaster and regular Mail in Sunday contributor, who is well known for his books and TV series about the Second World War. He is the author of a dozen books, including four wartime thrillers and the acclaimed histories: Berlin Games, Hunting Evil - which recounts the post-war search for Nazi war criminals and the subject of our talk: The Real Great Escape. His lat...
Non-HAW Event - Beneath the Western Front Battlefield Tour 2019
Beneath the Western Front Battlefield Tour 2019 Tour Dates: 6-8 September 2019 Run conjunction with Great War Historian, Herts at War Project Leader and Durand Group member, Dan Hill, this three-day, two-night tour will focus on the tunnelling war on the Western Front. We will visit four separate tunnel systems, two of which are not usually available for public visitation and each offering a f...
Sarah Ashbridge - Dog Tags, Grave Registration & Identifying the Fallen
Dog Tags, Grave Registration & Identifying the Fallen 1914 - 1920. Details coming soon!
Andy Prada - Tunnelling in the Loos Salient
Andy Prada has amassed a huge amount of knowledge on tunnelling and engineering in the Loos Salient, particularly through his association with The Durand Group. This will be a an interesting talk on an usual perspective to the Great War. It will also be of great interest to anyone going, or thinking of going, on the tour in September - more details available at the talk. His seminal film: "...
Non-HAW Event - Jim Radford
For anyone who missed Jim Radford's talk on his experiences in the D-Day landings or would like to hear more of his songs then he will be at Baldock Folk Club (the Orange Tree PH) Wednesday July 3rd 7 for 7:30 pm. The club is free to all to come.
Peter Hart - The Last Battle: Endgame on the Western Front 1918 (1)
Peter is an old friend of the project having given several talks for us. A well known author and speaker, with a style all of his own. We expect this one to be popular too.Peter has worked as the Oral Historian of the Imperial War Museum since 1981, interviewing many veterans of the Great War during his time with the IWM. He is the author of many books on the Great War including publications o...
Andy Robertshaw - 24 hour trench - life in the front-lines
Andy RobertshawSubject: 24 hour trench - life in the front-lines Andy was lead historical consultant for Spielberg’s film adaptation of War Horse, which he also starred in. He is a regular consultant and on-screen expert for a host of TV and radio shows, including Time Team, The Trench Detectives and Who Do You Think You Are? He has spearheaded numerous archaeological investigations along the W...
Jim Radford - Wartime experiences with a 'rescue tug' in Nomandy and folk songs
Jim Radford (WW2 Veteran)Subject: Wartime experiences with a 'rescue tug' in Nomandy and folk songs Jim, 92, was just fifteen-years-old and a Galley Boy abroad the Rescue Tug ‘Empire Larch’ on 6th June 1944 when the landings took place. Tasked with towing parts of the famous ‘mulberry harbours’ across the channel to the Gold Beach sector, Jim and his comrades remained off the Normandy coast for...
Dr Rob Thompson - Logistics
Dr Rob ThompsonSubject: Logistics Rob is a vastly experienced speaker on many Great War subjects. This one promises to be is unusual but fascinating. This important work was undertaken diligently and with care after the end of the war, often using soldiers whose friends and comrades had fallen. Giving this matter some thought - what an unpleasant and physically demanding task, but without it, h...
Steve Roberts - The Battle of the Somme Film
Steve RobertsSubject: The Battle of the Somme Film This month we will be joined by well-known military historian Steve Roberts who will analyse and discuss the famous 1916 Geoffrey Malin's film 'the Battle of the Somme'. Steve spent 12 years as a regular soldier serving with the Royal Military Police in a variety of operational theatres. On leaving the Army, he joined the Metropolitan Police an...
Alan King - His Life and Experience in the Second World War
Alan King - Tank Crew and Normandy VeteranSubject: His Life and Experience in the Second World War This is of a different format for us, one which will prove an interesting experiment and experience. We are lucky enough to have, Alan King, a Second World War veteran, visiting us to tell us of his life and experience in the War. He was a messenger for the Home Guard, called up for service in 194...
Ellie Grigsby - The men with broken faces
Ellie GrigsbySubject: The men with broken faces: The spectacle of the loneliest Tommy in the First World WarSubject: The men with broken faces: The spectacle of the loneliest Tommy in the First World War The facially disfigured soldiers of the First World War have been described as the loneliest of all the Tommies. After extensive research, placing these soldiers under the lens for her MA Degre...
GreatWar100 - Remembering the Great War
As we come towards the end of the Great War centenary, the Herts at War team have discussed a number of ways in which we could mark that important date with a talk or a series of talks. We have decided that, after discussions with a number of groups, we are very pleased to work in partnership with the #GreatWar100 initiative to host a one-off two day event in Hertfordshire which would see a num...
Dr Jonathan Boff - The War on the Western Front in 1918
Dr Jonathan BoffSubject: The War on the Western Front in 1918 Jonathan Boff is a Senior Lecturer in History and War Studies at the University of Birmingham, where he teaches courses on conflict from Homer to Helmand. He specialises in the First World War and his previous book, Winning and Losing on the Western Front: The British Third Army and the Defeat of Germany in 1918 (CUP, 2012) was short...
Professor Saul David - Battle of Megiddo (Palestine 1918)
Professor Saul DavidSubject: Battle of Megiddo (Palestine 1918) We are very pleased to be joined for this month's talk by author, historian and broadcaster Professor Saul David for his talk 'Battle of Megiddo'. Saul is a well-established and highly regarded name in history and currently works as Professor of Military History at the University of Buckingham. Professor David has written on a wide...
HAW Battlefield Tour August 2018
Herts At War - Following the Hertfordshire Regiment in 1918 This is the fourth of our centenary tours following the Hertfordshire Regiment. Come and enjoy expert guiding and good social evenings Tour Itinerary 16 August 2018The tour starts with pick ups from Hertfordshire, Ebbsfleet and Dover before onward travel to France via Dover. En-route to our hotel we visit the Vis-en-Artois Memorial th...
Dan Hill - The Hertfordshire Regiment in 1918'
Dan HillSubject: The Hertfordshire Regiment in 1918' Hertfordshire native, Dan has always had a real passion for military history and considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked since 2008 full-time in the field. Originally at the Imperial War Museum. He founded and now leads the Herts at War Project and has also worked free-lance on many local and national military history projects i...
Indy Neidell - The Eastern Brusilov Offensive
Indy NeidellSubject: The Eastern Brusilov Offensive Indy Neidell – Indiana ‘Indy’ Neidell is an American historian and globally recognised Youtube personality, leading the incredibly successful ‘The Great War’ YouTube series which documents the First World War in real-time, combining archival footage and modern research. Originally from Houston, Texas, Indy studied history at Weslyan University...
HAW Battlefield Tour 2017
Herts Regiment memorial unveiling (St Julien) and the Hertfordshire Regiment in 1917 at St Julien (with partners Battle Honours) Link to details
Dr Jessica Meyer - The Royal Army Medical Corps in The Great War
Dr Jessica MeyerSubject: The Royal Army Medical Corps in The Great War Highly regarded in history circles, Dr Meyer is a Professor of history at the University of Leeds, where she originally earned both her degree and MPhil, later going on to complete a PhD in modern history at Cambridge University. Jessica’s key areas of research have been into gender and the medical history of the First World...
Professor Sir Hew Strachan - The US in The Great War
Professor Sir Hew StrachanSubject: The US in The Great War A household name in military history, Sir Hew has been at the pinnacle of the subject for many years and is a recognised global authority on The Great War. Originally educated at Cambridge University, he has since held postings at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Oxford and Cambridge Universities, University of Glasgow and until 20...
Stuart Hadaway - The Palestine Campaign
Stuart HadawaySubject: The Palestine Campaign Stuart is a professional military historian and author specialising in the Egypt and Palestine Campaigns of the Great War. Stuart has authored a number of important works on the subject. A regular speaker in military history circles and an authority on two of the Great War’s lesser-known campaigns, this talk will lift the lid on the personal of expe...
HAW Battlefield Tour May 2018
Beneath the Western Front Tour SummaryA three-day, two-night unique tour lifting the lid on many unseen aspects of the Great War on theWestern Front. This tour will visit tunnel systems, souterrains and private museums, each offering afascinating glimpse into an aspect of the First World War that you simply cannot see anywhere else. Guided by military historian Dan Hill with additional guiding...
Dr Stuart Mitchell - The East African Campaign
Dr Stuart MitchellSubject: The East African Campaign A rising star in military history, Stuart is currently senior lecturer of war studies at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the University of Wolverhampton. He has established a reputation as one of the country’s top historians, particularly in the subject of the Great War. A life-long Aston Villa fan, military history enthusiast and hi...
Chris Baker - The German Spring Offensive
Chris BakerSubject: The German Spring Offensive Regarded as one of the foremost military history researchers in his field, Chris has probably undertaken more in depth research into the lives of First World War servicemen than any other individual. Chris is a Birmingham native who had a successful career in the world of industry before turning his hand to his real passion, military history. He h...
Dr John Greenacre - Shot at Dawn
Dr John GreenacreSubject: Shot at Dawn Dr John Greenacre is now a military historian, following a 24-year career in the Army. As a helicopter pilot, he deployed on operations during the Gulf War, to the Balkans and Northern Ireland. He has also worked in Germany, Canada, the Falkland Islands and Kenya in areas from procurement to arms control. John achieved an MA in Military Studies from Cranfi...
Andrew Lock - Arras
Andrew LockSubject: Arras As the son of a former History teacher, Andy came in to conflict history at a young age, before graduating in Modern Languages and working in hospitality management. Andy’s experience covers a range of subjects and conflicts, including Waterloo, Napoleonic naval conflicts, the Normandy landings and tours in London and Copenhagen, but he specialises in the Great War bat...
Glenn Hearnden - The history and work of the CWGC
Glenn HearndenSubject: The history and work of the CWGC Glenn has a passion for the battlefields and has been visiting them since the mid 1990’s. He has guided tour groups since 2003. He first started guiding military groups on Reality of War exercises. As a regular battlefield guide, he now leads tours for schools, the general public and serving military groups. He has guided tours across both...
Lieutenant-Colonel Gareth Davies - Tanks in the Great War
Lieutenant-Colonel Gareth DaviesSubject: Tanks in the Great War Gareth spent 28 years in the British Army before retiring in 2015. He served as a tank and reconnaissance troop leader commander, CBRN squadron commander, staff officer, and instructor. He has taught at Sandhurst, at the Land Warfare School, and at the Joint Services Command and Staff College; he served twice in the Ministry of Def...
Alexandra Churchill - Passchendaele
Alexandra ChurchillSubject: Passchendaele Alexandra first became involved in military history through contributions, both on screen and through research, on a variety of television documentaries aired from 2009 onwards including 'Fighting the Red Baron', WW1 Tunnels of Death - The Big Dig' and a feature about the Lusitania Disaster. As an impressive and passionate writer, she has produced sever...
Max Arthur OBE - Voices of the Great War
Max Arthur OBESubject: Voices of the Great War Max Arthur is an author who specialises in first-hand recollections of historical events. He has worked closely with the Imperial War Museum to bring together two books in the Forgotten Voices series, Forgotten Voices of the Great War and Forgotten Voices of the Second World War. He has presented two television documentaries: The Brits Who Fought F...
Dan Hill - The Hertfordshire Regiment in 1917
Dan HillSubject: The Hertfordshire Regiment in 1917 Hertfordshire native, Dan has always had a real passion for military history and considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked since 2008 full-time in the field. Originally at the Imperial War Museum. He founded and now leads the Herts at War Project and has also worked free-lance on many local and national military history projects in...
Gordon Corrigan - 3rd Battle of Ypres
Gordon CorriganSubject: 3rd Battle of Ypres Major Gordon Corrigan MBE was an officer of the Royal Gurkha Rifles before retiring from the Army in 1998. He is now a military historian and the author of numerous books. His television appearances include The Gurkhas, Napoleon’s Waterloo and Battlefield Detectives, and so far, he has presented five series on various aspects of military history. He i...
Professor Gary Sheffield - Gallipoli and the Western Front Compared
Professor Gary SheffieldSubject: Gallipoli and the Western Front Compared Gary was educated at Raynes Park High School and the University of Leeds (BA 1982, MA by research 1985) and King’s College London (1994). His academic career started in the Department of War Studies, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1985, working alongside colleagues such as Richard Holmes, John Keegan, David Chandler,...
Mike St Maur Sheil - The Doughboys 1917-18
Mike St Maur SheilSubject:- The Doughboys 1917-18 Mike Sheil is the creator of Fields of Battle, Lands of Peace, an outdoor photographic exhibition, documenting the battlefields of the First World War as they are today which has now been seen by over five million people in eight countries. He will be introducing us to his to latest exhibition entitled The Doughboys 1917-18 which describes the i...
Peter Hart - Air War over Arras
Peter HartSubject: Air War over Arras Peter Hart has worked as the Oral Historian of the Imperial War Museum since 1981, interviewing many veterans of the Great War during his time with the IWM. He is the author of many books on the Great War including publications on Gallipoli, the Somme, Jutland and Passchendaele and several on the Air War over the Western Front. Peter is a household name in...
Richard Van Emden - Meeting the Enemy
Richard Van EmdenSubject: Meeting the Enemy Richard van Emden is a well-known historian of the Great War, having interviewed 270 veterans and written, so far, twelve books. He was born in Nottingham in 1965, and read Politics at Newcastle University, subsequently taking his MA and MPhil at the University of Reading. He trained as a journalist and worked in London for two years before going to C...
Clive Harris - Verdun
Clive HarrisSubject: Verdun Clive served in the Royal Signals and with Hertfordshire Constabulary before embarking on a career in military history in 1998. In addition to the publication of “Walking the London Blitz”,” Wander through Wartime London” and “The Greater Game” he has contributed to Time Team, Time Watch, Blitz Spirit and CBS’s Legacy of War. His specialist battlefield subjects are T...
Peter Barton - The Somme - From both sides of the wire
Peter BartonSubject: The Somme - From both sides of the wire Peter Barton is an historian and writer on First World War matters, and a film-maker and broadcaster producing and presenting historical documentaries for television and festivals. From 2002 to 2013, he was secretary of the All Party Parliamentary War Heritage Group. He works as a consultant with the French and Belgian institutes of A...
Jeremy Banning - La Boiselle - Underground War
Jeremy BanningSubject: La Boiselle - Underground War Jeremy Banning is a military historian and researcher specialising in the underground warfare and The Battle of Arras. He has collaborated on a number of books with Peter Barton, as well as acting as principal researcher for other books, radio and television programmes. He appeared in the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? when he showed comedia...
Andy Robertshaw - The attack on Beaumont Hamel
Andy RobertshawSubject: The attack on Beaumont Hamel Andy was lead historical consultant for Spielberg’s film adaptation of War Horse, which he also starred in. He is a regular consultant and on-screen expert for a host of TV and radio shows, including Time Team, The Trench Detectives and Who Do You Think You Are?He has spearheaded numerous archaeological investigations along the Western Front...
Alan Wakefield - Salonika - The Forgotten Front
Alan WakefieldSubject: Salonika - The Forgotten Front Alan was born in Marlborough, Wiltshire in 1968. He graduated from the University of Reading in 1990 with a degree in History and followed this with an MA in War Studies from King’s College London. Having worked as a curator at the National Maritime Museum and RAF Museum, Alan qualified with an MA in Museum Studies from University College L...
Professor Peter Doyle - Kitchener's Mob
Professor Peter DoyleSubject: Kitchener's Mob Peter Doyle specialises in the understanding of military terrain, with special reference to the two world wars. He is also an author specialising in the British experience of war, and the material culture of war. A member of the British Commission of Military History, and secretary of the Parliamentary All Party War Graves and Battlefield Heritage G...