A huge success yesterday, thank you for such an excellent, captivating and incredibly professional presentation. The feedback was superb and we would like you to come back.
I think the members would lynch me if I didn't ask you!
......B.S. - Heworth Retired Men's Forum.
Talks:
1) A Bomber Memorial in Denmark - The day that changed my life:
The story of a holiday in Denmark when, on my way to Pirate Island, I found a memorial to a crashed Lancaster. This discovery led me on another journey to find out what I could about those involved. What events led to a German night-fighter shooting down three Lancasters over southern Denmark and what was so important about the RAF's operations that night in August 1943?
The follow on from the initial investigation led me to become the Webmaster of the 49 Squadron Association.
2) The Peenemünde Peninsula - V1, V2 and other Secret Projects:
This presentation describes how this remote, somewhat impracticable marshy peninsula was transformed into top secret research and testing establishments belonging to both the Luftwaffe and Wehrmacht. The range of weapon systems developed and tested here are described. The effects of RAF and USAAF raids beginning in August 1943 are detailed. The author has recently explored what remains of these sites which, during their construction and operation, consumed gargantuan amounts of precious resources.
3) Cyprus - Blessed by nature and cursed by history:
I went to Cyprus as a young teacher in 1973 and since 2006 spend almost half of the year living there. The presentation quickly runs through 3,500 years of history up to the island's independence in 1960. The reason for the deployment of the UN is briefly touched upon and my personal experiences of the events of 1974 and their aftermath form part of the story. In the main however, the presentation focusses on the joys and quirky aspects of living in Cyprus that I've experienced over the years.
4) The Cyprus Green Line - Exploring the Buffer Zone:
The Green Line today is a 180km long Buffer Zone between the Greek & Turkish Cyprus where the UN attempt to maintain the "status quo". The presentations look at the history of how the Green Line came into being and include first-hand experience of walking through no man's land in Nicosia. This section of the Buffer Zone was once the most densely militarized area in the world. In recent years we have travelled the length of the Buffer Zone to see the scars that remain to this day.
5) Berlin and the German Border:
This presentation explains how the Inner German Border came about, the reason for the Berlin Wall being built and how both of these defence systems were developed over the years.
The complex procedures for the Allies to travel between West Germany and West Berlin are shown.
The author has the privilege of living in Berlin before the final withdrawal in 1994 and attended the final Allied and Soviet parades. A final "Then & Now" sequence completes the presentation.
Please note: This presentation can be given in two other forms......a version that includes more about life in Berlin and a second version that examines the circumstances surrounding the "Fall of the Wall" in 1989.
6) York's Baedeker Raid - April 1942:
The background to the Baedeker Raids and the technology available in 1942 to locate and defend targets. Was there only "the lone French airman" defending York and what actually happened to the troop train in York station. The events of April 29th 1942 in the air and on the ground, are explained. The presentation concludes with a 'then & now' journey through parts of York.
7) The DDR Revisited:
The story of a 32 day, 5,000km journey around the former DDR. The presenter travelled the entire length of the former Inner German Border discovering "Then & Now" comparisons, disused railway lines, the sites of abandoned villages and a range of 'Border Art'. The trip included many other interesting locations such as Peenemünde, the 'Forbidden City' - the former Soviet HQ at Wunsdorf, Colditz Castle and Dresden.
8) Bomber Command - The story of just one squadron:
This presentation looks at the history of 49 Squadron. They were formed in 1916, disbanded in 1919 and reformed as WW2 approached. During WW2 they flew Hampdens, Manchesters and then Lancasters. In the immediate post war years they flew Lincolns and saw service in Kenya. In their final years they flew Valiants and were involved with the nuclear tests of the late 1950s.
The presentation looks at some of the personalities, the locations they flew from and some of the operations that decimated the squadron.
9) My Neighbour Armageddon - The story of Project Emily:
Between the years 1959-1963, sixty Thor missiles with nuclear warheads were stationed in twenty different locations close to the east coast of England. They were based around Driffield in Yorkshire, Hemswell in Lincolnshire, North Luffenham in Rutland and Feltwell in Norfolk.
The presentation also looks at the development of the ballistic missile and the arms race during this period of the Cold War. The Cuban missile crisis brought all these locations to a 15-minute readiness. What remains of these sites is also explored.
10) The Sieges of Malta - 1565 to the present:
This presentation looks at the history of Malta from the Great Siege of 1565, through the short period of French occupation to British rule in 1800. The momentous events of Word War 2 are fully explained including the story of "Faith, Hope & Charity". Many of the important locations are visited and shown as they appear today.
11) Nicosia Airport - A short and troubled history:
In the 1920s an airfield was laid out on a barren rocky plateau with no facilities. Development only began with the outbreak of WW2. The enlarged airfield was active during the Suez campaign, expanded with the growing tourist industry and opened a comfortable new terminal in 1968. Since the events of 1974, the airport has been closed to all aircraft except UN helicopters and the entire complex is now designated a "United Nations Protected Area" where access is extremely restricted (but I have been fortunate to visit on several occasions).
12) Yorkshire's Vanishing Coastline:
A meze of coastal erosion stories with some added military history. The East Coast of Yorkshire is a fascinating stretch of coastline to visit. Over the years villages and individual farms have been lost to the sea and it is the location of a fictitious German invasion, vanishing gun batteries and other intriguing military activity.
13) Nuremberg - Rallies, Disaster, Destruction, Trials and Today:
The city of Nuremberg is well known for the enormous Nazi rallies that were held in the late 1930s. Plans included a stadium that would hold 400,000 spectators!
As a target for the RAF, it was the greatest disaster of WW2 although eventually air raids devastated the old town. After the war, the trial of top Nazi officials was held here.
This presentation looks at each of the above aspects and describes what remains today including a number of "Then & Now" images.