Welcome to the Middlesex branch of the Western Front Association.
Venue: Hewitt Room, Whitton Community Centre, Percy Road, Whitton TW2 6JL
The Community Centre is a single story building shared with the Whitton Corner Pharmacy which is situated between Twickenham School/Whitton Sports and Fitness Centre and the Whitton Health and Social Care Centre and across the road from Twickenham Cemetery. See news item dated 9th May 2023 for picture of Centre as seen from Percy Road. The Hewitt Room is on the right at the end of the entrance corridor.
If driving the nearest main road is the A316 (Chertsey Road). Come off at the Hospital Bridge Roundabout heading north taking the exit signposted 'B358 Whitton' onto Hospital Bridge Road and then the next right onto Percy Road at the Health and Social Care Centre which is just past the Church on your right. The entrance to the Community Centre's car-park (which includes disabled spaces) is then on your right. This is free for those using the building but is quite small so if this is full then local roads have unrestricted street parking.
NOTE that the Centre being in the London borough of Richmond now lies within the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) area so suggest you check your car on the TfL website (Check your vehicle (tfl.gov.uk) to see if you would be liable for the £12.50 daily charge for driving in the zone.
However if using public transport the Centre is a 10-12 minute walk (around 800m) or short bus ride (see below for details) from Whitton Station- turn left on leaving station. The station is in TfL fare zone 5 and is served by South West Trains semi-fast London Waterloo to Windsor and Eton Riverside service or the stopping Waterloo-Hounslow loop service. Note that the latter service is limited to peak hours so will allow access to the meeting but to return after the meeting you would have to change trains perhaps at Richmond or Putney having used the Windsor service or using buses as below- check your journey on the National Rail or Transport for London journey planner websites to find the best option for you.
It is also on H22 and 110 bus routes both of which pass Whitton station and link to Hounslow or Richmond respectively for London overground (from Richmond) or underground (Piccadilly or District line respectively) services. If travelling from Whitton station get off the 110 bus at the Ryecroft Avenue stop and walk on past the School to the Centre or the H22 at the Whitton Corner Health and Social Care Centre stop, then walking back into Percy Road to the Centre. Travelling towards the station both buses use the stop directly across Percy Road from the Community Centre again named as Whitton Corner Health and Social Care Centre. The 481 bus from Kingston to West Middlesex Hospital in Isleworth also serves the Whitton Corner Health and Social Care Centre but offers a limited service ending before 8pm so again whilst it could be used to reach the meeting it could not be used to return.
NOTE there are no refreshment facilities at the Community Centre but The Winning Post pub is close-by on the Chertsey Road with access from Percy Road and there are a number of restaurants, supermarkets and takeaways on Whitton High Street to the right of the station.
Dates: The First Thursday of each month (except January and August when no meeting is held)
TIME: 7:20pm for 7:30-9:20.
Donation (£4 suggested) requested to cover branch costs
Follow us on Twitter: @WFAMiddlesex
Upcoming meetings:
Thu 2nd May 2024 - 'For the King, the country, the Queen's and Kennington' a talk by Marietta Crichton Stuart
Thu 6th June 2024 - 'Leaders: the British Infantry NCO in the Great War; a Reappraisal' a talk by Dr Tom Greenshields
Thu 4th July 2024 - 'The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand' a talk by Sue Woolmans
AUGUST - No Meeting
Thu 5th September 2024 - 'A Profound Learning: Four Giants on the Western Front 1914-1918' a talk by William Franklin
Thu 3rd October 2024 - TALK RESCHEDULED FROM MARCH: 'Strategic choice: Lord Fisher, the Baltic and struggle for civilian control' A talk by Professor Andrew Lambert
Thu 7th November - TALK RESCHEDULED FROM MAY 'Gallipoli - a photographic tour concentrating on Cape Helles' a talk by John Tanner
Past Meetings:
Thu 6th Apr 2023 - 'German grand strategy and the introduction of new tactics in 1916-1917' a talk by Dr Tony Cowan
Thu 4th May 2023 - 'Lost Opportunity: The Battle of the Ardennes 22nd August 1914' a talk by Dr Simon House
Thu 1st Jun 2023 - 'Private John Parr of the Middlesex Regiment- the First British Soldier killed on the Western Front' a talk by Mick Crick
Thu 6th Jul 2023 - 'The War in West Africa' a talk by Christopher Mellor-Hill
Thu 7th Sept 2023 -'Russian Army in the First World War' a talk by Sofya Anisimova
Thu 5th Oct 2023 - 'Fighting Spirit - Patrolling and Raiding with the West Yorks 1917-18' a talk by Fraser Skirrow
Thu 2nd Nov 2023 - 'Uncovering the dead 1919-1939' a talk by Dr Peter Hodgkinson
Thu 7th Dec 2023 - 'Gallipoli Chaplains crossing the divide' a talk by Carole Hope
Thu 1st February 2024 - Belgian and French Agents behind Enemy Lines - a talk by Alan Seldon
Thu 7th March 2024 - 'Strategic choice: Lord Fisher, the Baltic and struggle for civilian control' A talk by Professor Andrew Lambert following brief branch AGM
NOTE THIS MEETING POSTPONED OWING TO UNAVAILABILITY OF SPEAKER _ NEW TALK
The Palestine Campaign - A Talk by Dr John Peaty preceded by brief branch AGM
Thu 4th April 2024 - 'From Flying Dreadnought to Dogfighter - The Troubled Birth of the British Fighter‘ a talk by Greg Baughen
Upcoming Branch Events
TALK RESCHEDULED FROM MARCH: 'Strategic choice: Lord Fisher, the Baltic and struggle for civilian control' A talk by Professor Andrew Lambert
THIS TALK HAS BEEN REARRANGED TO THE OCTOBER MEETING DATE This lecture examines the development of a classic 'British Way of war' strategy for World War One. Long term planning by Admiral Lord Fisher had focused on using control of, or the threat to enter the Baltic to leverage German strategy and complete the economic blockade. Fisher's plans...
Event Details
TALK RESCHEDULED FROM MAY 'Gallipoli - a photographic tour concentrating on Cape Helles' a talk by John Tanner
This talk will feature a selection from the speaker's extensive collection of images relating to the Gallipoli campaign with a focus on the fighting at Cape Helles. The speaker, John Tanner, who was the founder of the WFA Ox and Bucks branch like many of us had his interest in the First World War sparked by a family connection. In his case it w...
Event Details