Southwick Speaks
A SERIES OF GUEST SPEAKERS IN NOVEMBER, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY
Southwick Speaks will be a series of talks held in St James’ Church, Southwick.
Doors open at 6:30pm, with the speaker starting at 7:00pm. The talk will last 45 minutes with a chance for questions at the end of the session followed by the opportunity for tea or coffee.
Thursday 30th November – HMS Medusa
Medusa was the first Allied warship positioned off Omaha beach in Normandy, arriving on the afternoon of 5th June 1944, 12 hours before the American landings, acting as a marker to show the entrance to a narrow swept channel through the minefield guarding the beaches.
Alan Watson OBE, Chairman and Captain of Medusa will be our guest speaker for November, presenting on his work to preserve this important vessel as well as the role it played in the D Day landings.
THURSDAY 25TH JANUARY – REAR ADMIRAL JUDE TERRY
Rear Admiral Jude Terry became the most senior female Royal Navy Officer ever upon her promotion to Rear Admiral in 2022. She is also trustee of MEDUSA, the first allied ship on the line at D day.
Jude’s talk promises to be exciting and insightful. More details will follow shortly.
Thursday 22nd February – Stephen Prince
Head of the Naval Historical Branch in the Ministry of Defence, Stephen will be speaking on”Ship to Shore – The Evolution of the Allied System of Command for Normandy”.
His talk will examine the development of British and, then Allied, systems of Command & Control, considering both the long term evolution & the particular system in place, largely in & around Southwick, by 1944. It will contrast this with the German system and suggest that the greater coherence and rationality of the Allied system meant that its enduring performance was one of the most significant advantages that led to victory in Normandy and beyond.