20th January, 2020: ‘The Real Dads’ Army’ – Ray Sturdy
Ray Sturdy relayed some real memories of our wartime Home Guard. Comprised of working civilians, who volunteered to protect our country in the event of invasion, there was more to the Home Guard than met the eye. It represented British stoicism at its finest. The last bastion against the German threat, it ultimately had some £1 million men, trained in the use of firearms, some even in heavy artillery. Several of the volunteers became so proficient they often bettered regular army soldiers in shooting competitions. It even had its own guerrilla units, skilled in survival and sabotage, that operated from some 600 concealed bases!
16th March: My Musical History – Steve Allen
Steve Allen, a local musician with a repertoire in country, folk and swing music, came along to present an unusual history presentation for our members. Through the eyes of his character, Ely, he told us more about the Industrial Revolution in Britain through a mixture of songs, words and pictures.
Subsequent events planned for 2020 were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic