Caption: Ukrainian children en route for internment with their families in Canada. (Courtesy IWM Q32792)
About the talk: Long overshadowed by the evacuees of the Second World War, the story of those who were young in World War One has been almost long overlooked by historians. This talk explores how the tragedy of war impacted upon the very youngest members of society. From war games in the nursery to being held as prisoners of war, marvel at the courage and resilience of children across combatant nations whose world was irrevocably changed when that fateful shot was fired on 28th June 1914 in Sarajevo and the war’s first three orphans were created.
Dr Viv Newman
About the speaker: In 2004, Viv Newman was awarded a PhD for her thesis Songs of Wartime Lives: Women's Poetry of the First World War (Essex). She was selected by the BBC for their 'Expert Women' training and speaks widely about women in WW1 on local radio, at national and international conferences, and for specialist and general interest audiences. She writes for Pen and Sword as well as academic journals and popular magazines. In March 2017, she as invited by HE Guy Trouveroy, the Belgian Ambassador to the UK, to launch the Embassy's Passchendaele commemorations and her talk, 'Passchendaele: A World of Anguish' can be viewed on her website. Viv recently appeared on BBC1 Antique Road Trip talking about women’s uniforms in the Great War.
Book signing: Viv has written seven books relating to the Great War which will be available to purchase after the talk at the special price of £10 for softbacks, and £15 for hardbacks (pay by cash or card). Viv recently appeared on BBC1 Antique Road Trip talking about women’s uniforms in the Great War. The books include: We Also Served: The Forgotten Women of the First World War, Nursing Through Shot and Shell: A Great War Nurse's Diary, Tumult and Tears: The Story of the Great War Through the Eyes and Lives of its Women Poets, Changing Roles: Women in the Aftermath of the Great War, Suffragism and the Great War, Children at War 1914-1918 and Régina Diana: Seductress, Singer, Spy. Viv's books are also available from Pen and Sword and from Amazon
Where we meet: We meet at the Royal British Legion Club, Queensway, Petts Wood, Orpington, Kent BR5 1DH. Meetings are held on the on the last Thursday of each month (except August and December). They start at 19:30, with the doors (and the bar) opening at 18:30. We do not charge entrance fees but do welcome donations of £5 or more towards our costs.
Getting there: The club is next to Morrison's supermarket and Petts Wood railway station. Parking at the rear of the club is free but you need to type your car registration into the machine (on the left as you enter the club). Failure to enter your registration can lead to a £50 fine. There's easy free parking in adjacent side streets.