Operation Bookworm Weekly Update More stories are still coming in every day. Over the past few days these include an SOE poem, a series of Home front articles including, children’s gas masks, WVS salvage, butterfly bombs, Operation Garlic and the last year of the occupation in The Netherlands. From all...
Welcome to the British Modern Military History Society
Welcome to the British Modern Military History Society. Formed in early 2019, we organise monthly talks for anyone interested in military history over the last 200 years from Nelson’s times to the present day.
We organise top quality talks given by writers, academics, former military personnel, and experts in their field with a wide variety of topics – hopefully an interesting cocktail to encourage you to join us. Based in Woodcote Village Hall RG8 0QY (near Wallingford) in South Oxfordshire, we can accommodate up to 100 people at each talk in pleasant surroundings, offering a warm and welcoming evening out.
We have a full schedule of monthly talks scheduled throughout 2020 and most of 2021 on El Alamein, the Cold War, the Falklands, the Spanish Civil War and the Battle of the Atlantic and much more – something to appeal to everyone, we hope. Check out the full programme and talk details on the website or our Facebook pages.
The BMMHS meetings previously planned for April, May, June and July 2020 are all CANCELLED due to COVID-19
Operation Bookworm
Thank you for your contributions to Operation Bookworm so far....Please keep them coming !
From all over the world, we have had some remarkable stories of great bravery and valour, while others have told how it was as civilians enduring hardships and fear we cannot imagine. A mixture of incredible stories of survival, and some of being witness to hugely significant historical events. Alongside these are tales of ordinary people ‘doing their bit’, some with great humour, others with great fortitude and some with great sadness, and often a mixture of all these.
If you have a family story to tell, do get in touch… we would love to hear from you. info@bmmhs.org
Please send your articles in to us – The Closing Date is 30th June 2020
Supporting Operation Bookworm
“Helping us all through the Great Isolation”
‘What a marvellous time — during the privations of ‘lockdown’ — to ask us to turn out our family archives and contribute to the BMMHS’s first publication. And no better charity than Blind Veterans UK to receive any profit from this great initiative. It will be a pleasure to contribute.’ – Major-General Dair Farrar-Hockley MC.
What is Operation Bookworm?
With time on the hands of many of us during the wretched COVID19 pandemic, this is the ideal chance to put together a bit about a family members experiences – military or civilian – in the military conflicts of the last 200 years.
We are looking to produce a book with profits to the Blind Veterans UK charity comprising a bit of your own family history – it could be your own experiences, your Father or Mother’s, your sons, your grandads, an aunt or uncle.
Almost everyone has someone in the family with a tale to tell, and when you start asking or researching you will be surprised what you find out. From my family, we have an uncle who landed on Gold beach on D+1, a great uncle who served in the Royal Artillery in WW1 and is buried in Flanders, two aunts who were evacuees, and another uncle who landed at Gallipoli in 1915. Somewhere in your bookshelf, in a drawer or your loft you may well have the military records and papers and other memorabilia that would make an interesting story. We only want a short article – from a couple of paragraphs to 3 pages ideally with some photos/documents – certainly not War and Peace or a lengthy, detailed history of a military career. Don’t worry about spelling, grammar etc – we can amend documents – but ultimately they will be your words. Of course, you may have something written or even published already, so send it across.
For all articles we would like your permission to publish then in all or part on our website, on Facebook and ultimately in a book. If you would like to contribute, drop us a line at info@bmmhs.org and we can discuss your ideas. Get researching and start writing – good luck, and of course stay safe and well.
Please send your articles in to us – The Closing Date is 30th June 2020
The BMMHS Team
What you are saying about Operation Bookworm
"I am more than happy to make a contribution to what looks like an excellent idea."
"What a great idea! "
"Happy to help out with your book."
"That sounds like an interesting project you have got going."
"I think Operation Bookworm is a great idea. I am a supporter of Blind Veterans UK, and should love to be able to help."
"Brilliant Idea"
‘What a marvellous time — during the privations of ‘lockdown’ — to ask us to turn out our family archives and contribute to the BMMHS’s first publication. And no better charity than Blind Veterans UK to receive any profit from this great initiative. It will be a pleasure to contribute.’
Previous
Next
BMMHS News
BMMHS Meetings - Update
While we are waiting for clearer guidance on when, if and in what format our talks can resume, we believe that the very earliest will be this autumn, but it may be not into next year. It is also likely we shall have to have restricted numbers of attendees so that social distancing rules can be adequately enforced. So the message is ‘watch this space’.
BMMHS Zoom Talks
In June, we ran a Pilot BMMHS Zoom talk to assess the demand for virtual BMMHS Talks. We shall look to roll out a programme of BMMHS Zoom Talks in the near future.
Bookworm Closing Date 30th June
Operation Bookworm We have been compiling a book in aid of the charity Blind Veterans UK (formerly St Dunstans) and requesting people to submit articles about their own or their families’ memories of wartime or conflict, either serving in the military or as a civilian. We have had a tremendous response with contributions...
On This Day: CANBERRA AT MALTA FOR GUIDED MISSILE TRIALS. JUNE 1961, ROYAL NAVAL AIR STATION HAL FAR, MALTA. The first Canberra U Mk 10 jet plane, will be used as a pilotless drone aircraft in the Seaslug guided missile trials from HMS GIRDLE NESS later in 1961. © IWM (A 34463) https://t.co/FPusVZC3jN...
Sadly These Talks Cancelled - COVID-19
Hopefully NORMAL SERVICE will resume Wednesday 9th September 2020
Taranto - The Sinking of the Italian Fleet
Paul Beaver
Assumes the current COVID-19 restrictions will no longer apply by then.
Ticket Pricing, Reservations and Venue Directions
Entry cost is just £8, payable (cash only) on the door. This includes your entry ticket to the talk, a Q & A, refreshments (beer, wine, soft drinks) and light snacks (sandwiches etc.). At each talk, we also make a contribution to a military related charity of our speaker’s choice. We also hold a raffle at each talk.
Doors open at 7:00pm and talks are scheduled to start at 7:30 pm. Entrance to the main hall is via the main entrance on the Reading Road in Woodcote.
Car parking is available on site, but can get quite busy. Disabled parking and access to the hall is available.
As many of our talks do ‘sell out’ in advance, we recommend you reserve your places well in advance to avoid disappointment by contacting us on info@bmmhs.org We will then confirm your reservation back to you if seats are available.
If you have any other questions, please contact us on info@bmmhs.org
We look forward to welcoming you to our meeting.
What you are saying about
"It was a lovely evening and fantastic atmosphere in the room. Very happy to come back in 2021 to speak on my (then) new book on MI9 escape and evasion."
"For anyone interested in Military History, the BMMHS is a must. The monthly meetings cover a wide range of topics, with high quality speakers giving thought-provoking talks. In addition, the quality of facility and refreshments is exceptional, and the audience interesting and welcoming. Highly recommended."
“Just wanted to say how impressed I was by the talk last night and indeed by the meeting itself – the first I’ve been able to attend. An excellent speaker and a well organised meeting!”
"…. We’re very impressed with the line-up of talks arranged for the next year and will endeavour to attend as many as possible ….
We found the ‘Arnhem’ talk most interesting – a very different ‘take’ on the topic from the usual battle on the ground analysis.
Congratulations to you, Nigel, Linda and the team, you’re doing a great job."
"If I may say so, the BMMHS's first few months have been most impressive and a testament to the hard work and enthusiasm the four of you have put in. Everything on Wednesday went well, turnout, seating, notice-boards, drinks and especially the food!
"
"…I would like to thank you and your team for another great evening. The talk was brilliant… looking forward to the next one…"
"MANY THANKS for Wednesday night most enjoyable, met some nice chaps, have new dates on the calendar, looking forward to the next talk"
"As with the first BMMHS meeting I attended.... I really enjoyed last night’s presentation. You and your pals have done a great job in getting the BMMHS set up and running smoothly & efficiently, including an excellent website plus arranging for some really interesting presenters and subjects every month."
Previous
Next
BMMHS Meetings 2021 Include
Our Last Talk and New Articles
March Talk
Sir John Slessor - An unsung Cold War Strategist and his role as the architect of British Airborne Nuclear Deterrence.
Sir John Slessor
Speaker: Bill Pyke
New Article
Tuck's Luck
An article by Steve Richards
Article
The Letcombe Lion
An article by Trevor Hancock
Click to see full BMMHS event listing pages.
Contact us at info@bmmhs.org
Copyright © 2019 bmmhs.org – All Rights Reserved
Images © IWM & NAM