Welcome to the Wales (South) branch of The Western Front Association.
Meetings are held every first Friday of the month between 7.30pm - 9.30pm unless stated otherwise
Venue: Fairwater Conservative Club, 61 Ely Rd, Cardiff CF5 2BY
The venue has ample free, illuminated car parking and is on the ground floor with good access for attendees of all abilities. There is a bar serving hot & cold drinks and food. Our Christmas meeting includes a social event with a small buffet, after the talk.
Date |
Topic(s) |
Speaker(s) |
10-Jan |
F W Harvey the Gloucester poet and soldier |
Phil Davies |
07-Feb |
Morale sapping attrition or spirit building training? An assessment of the impact, role and utility of trench raiding in one Western Front division. (ZOOM) |
Dr. Tom Thorpe |
07-Mar |
"Empire Jack” - John Norton-Griffiths |
Peter Walker |
04-Apr |
Hoist with their own petard: The German capture of Fort Douaumont and its effect on the Battle of Verdun 1916 (ZOOM) |
Christina Noyes |
02-May |
"Sir Billy in the Wars" - Billy Butlin and his service in WW1 and involvement in WW2 |
Rosemary Chaloner |
06-Jun |
Response of Australian Medical Services to restoration of mobile warfare in 1918 (ZOOM) |
Thomas Scotland |
04-Jul |
The Battle of Jutland |
Gavin Davies |
01-Aug |
Royal Naval Response to U Boat Campaign (ZOOM) |
Graham Kemp |
05-Sep |
The WW1 memorial I never knew about…until I found it! |
Jeremy Sparkes |
03-Oct |
Military Justice during the Great War |
Prof. Lois Bibbings |
07-Nov |
Welsh Warrior at Ypres 1914: Captain Hubert Rees |
Peter Hart |
05-Dec |
Logistic Support in the BEF |
Viv John |
Members of the Western Front Association and non-members are equally welcome, and we encourage their attendance. It is suggested that attendees might wish to give a small donation towards the cost of the venue, the speaker’s expenses, and the cost of live streaming via Zoom. Those unable to attend in person who join in via Zoom and may wish to help the branch with a donation, can now do so safely via
Simply click the link and follow the on-line instructions. You can pay using all major Credit Cards, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Upcoming Branch Events
"Empire Jack”
"Empire Jack” - A talk by Peter Walker. John Norton-Griffiths lived at Mole Cottage in Westhumble. Before the war, he had mined for gold in southern Africa, served in the Boer War, and developed railways in Angola and Chile. In 1914 he raised the 2nd King Edward’s Horse at his own expense and was commissioned as a major. Using his engineering ex...
Event DetailsHoist with their own petard: The German capture of Fort Douaumont and its effect on the Battle of Verdun 1916
Hoist with their own petard: The German capture of Fort Douaumont and its effect on the Battle of Verdun 1916 – a Zoom talk by Chrtistina Noyes. The surprise capture of Fort Douaumont - at first sight a triumph - changed the offensive's centre of gravity and forced the Germans to extend the battle to the flanks, locking them into a deadly sloggi...
Event Details"Sir Billy in the Wars" - Billy Butlin and his service in WW1 and involvement in WW2
"Sir Billy in the Wars" - Billy Butlin and his service in WW1 and involvement in WW2 – a talk by Rosemary Chaloner. Billy Butlin, the founder of the Butlin's holiday camp empire, served in the military during World War I and contributed to the war effort in other ways: Military service - Butlin served as a bugler and drummer boy, and was eventua...
Event Details