Talks, and 1940’s School Lessons
Guest Speakers
Each year Southwick Revival works hard to bring exciting speakers to our stage for your enjoyment! New for 2024 entry to our guest speaker slots are included in our day admission ticket.
Saturday
Saturday 15:00: Descendants of the Supreme Commanders
Heralded by Paul Beaver, noted military historian and Peter Caddick-Adams
D-Day expert as “a world exclusive event”, Southwick Revival is hosting a one-of-a-kind panel discussion in honour of the 80th anniversary of D-Day. The event will bring together descendants of the Supreme Commanders who led the Allied invasion of Normandy in 1944.
Featured guests include Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Allied Supreme Commander on D-Day; Richard Tedder, son of Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, Eisenhower’s deputy; Viscount Henry Montgomery, grandson of General Sir Bernard Montgomery; and William Ramsay, grandson of Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay.
On the evening before D-Day in 1944, these legendary military leaders were present at Southwick House headquarters to finalise the plans for Operation Overlord. At 4.15AM on June 5th, Eisenhower gave the now famous “OK, let’s go” order authorising the launch of the largest amphibious invasion in history.
The panel discussion with the descendants of SHEAF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force), hosted by Nick Girdler will share memories of their relatives and showcase artifacts and heirlooms from their families.
Sunday
Sunday 11:00 Andrew Whitmarsh, D-Day Landing Craft
The enormous contribution of landing craft and their crews to the 1944 Normandy campaign is often overlooked. Most of the 133,000 Allied troops who landed on the beaches on D-Day came ashore from landing craft.
This new book tells the story of the operational use of landing craft and landing ships across all five D-Day beaches. It includes the experiences of the British, American and Canadian crews, and of the troops they carried. It also examines the many different types of landing craft used in the operation, and how they were built in both the UK and North America. In the lead-up to D-Day the Allies never seemed to have enough landing craft, and their availability and production was regularly discussed by the top Allied leaders. The author has for many years been the curator of The D-Day Story, Portsmouth, home to the last surviving ‘Landing Craft, Tank’ that took part in the Normandy Landings (LCT 7074).
D-Day Landing Craft, by Andrew Whitmarsh (Published 23 May 2024 by The History Press)
https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/d-day-landing-craft/9781803994451/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/D-Day-Landing-Craft-Unorthodox-Normandy/dp/1803994452
1940’s School Lessons
The 1940’s School Lessons take place in the Old Schoolhouse in the centre of the village at various times each day.
The Three R’s and Wartime themed lessons will be delivered to classes of 25 maximum. Limited to under 14 year olds, watch out for the Headmistresses wooden ruler which could dish out stinging raps on the knuckles for pupils misbehaving and woe-betide any who give her any back-chat!
Fun and educational in equal measure, this event is heavily oversubscribed, but with only 25 pupils per class get there early to ensure a seat at the desk.
Times published nearer event date.
With thanks to our 2024 event partner and headline sponsor:
With thanks to Our Event Partner
With thanks to Our Headline Sponsor:
With thanks to our 2024 event sponsors:
