15 August 2024 19:30
Ian Castle - “The Sky Was Lurid With Flames”: Operation Türkenkreuz 1917-1918 – Germany’s WW1 Bomber Offensive against London
The Talk: After stunning successes against the Zeppelin raiders in autumn 1916, it appeared that Germany’s First World War aerial threat to London was over. But those successes led to complacency and resulted in a reduction of Britain’s air defence capability. Then, in the summer of 1917 a new, more deadly, danger appeared over the city when a squadron of bomber aircraft – Gothas - attacked London in broad daylight. The raid caught the city napping, inflicting almost 600 casualties. But when Germany launched the largest raid of the war on London a year later, it encountered the fire and fury of the world’s first in-depth integrated aerial defence system. The result was very different.
Ian’s talk will trace the sequence of these raids and track the development of the defence system that ultimately defeated the aerial raiders.
About the Speaker: Ian (FRHistS) 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. hall preparation and refreshments etc.).
Book your FREE tickets HERE
Location map here
