Historical Society
The Historical Society comprises just over 350 members of which a third are regular
attenders. Presentations are held at Armoury House on a Monday evening in early
January, May and October.
The usual format involves an expert guest lecturer who talks for approximately
45 minutes, starting at 6.30pm. After questions and a short interval the majority
of those attending then remain for a Club Supper.
Not unnaturally, the lecture topics are military in nature, sometimes involving
a campaign or area in which the HAC has had direct involvement.
New members are always welcome. For Regimental Members, the cost is £10 for
life membership and your cheque, made payable to the HAC Historical Society, should
be sent to the Society's Secretary, Malcolm Ring at River House, River, Near Petworth,
West Sussex GU28 9AT together with
Your Name (Capitals)
Address
Email
The next lecture is on Monday, 16 January 2012 and is to be given by John Lee.
His talk is about 'The Cockney Army - London and the Great War'..
John Lee is an Honorary Research Associate of the Centre for First World War Studies, University of Birmingham (where he supervises the dissertations of those MA students working on the tactical and logistical development of the BEF). He is a long standing member of the British Commission for Military History, the Western Front Association and six other history gorups (at the last count!). He conducts several battlefield tours a year for Holts Tours, and is the author of A Soldier's Life: General Sir Ian Hamilton 1854-1947; The Warlords: Hindenburg and Ludendorff; Gas Attack: Ypres 1915: and with his wife, Celia, Winston and Jack: The Churchill Brothers and The Churchills: A Family Portrait.
London was always a vast pool of manpower and provided a huge range of military
formations for service overseas between 1914 and 1918. This talk looks at the
Royal Fusiliers and the London regiment and all those other 'Home Counties' regiments
raised in London regardless of cap badge. The manner of their raising and training,
their presence in every army and theatre of operations, and their unique character
are all discussed. Only happy when he was complaining, swearing his way through
the bewilderment of army life, protected by a vast shield of ironic humour, the
Cockney soldier proved to be a most stubborn and determined fighter for what he
knew to be right. The HAC, of course, figures strongly in the story.
If you wish to attend on 16 January 2012, please notify Mandy Khan at Armoury
House by 9 January 2012. If you (and your guests) wish to stay for supper then
the cost is now £25 per head. Guests who attend the lecture only will be charged
£5 per head; this sum is not payable if the guest stays for supper.