Sussex Military History Society
Researching & exploring the military past of Sussex & beyond since 1998
Philip writes: “Up to and during the First World War, the Royal Navy was at the forefront of developments in aviation: concerned not just with the use of military aircraft to defend the fleet, but also securing the homeland against Zeppelin raiders and undertaking tactical air strikes into enemy territory. With the airplane a totally […]
Hosted by Shoreham Fort: This month’s Tin Hut Talk guest speaker is Karen Leenders, with her fascinating talk on ‘A Hazardous Experiment’ Indian Soldiers, British Doubts and the Truth About the Western Front… Were Indian troops capable of fighting in France? In 1914, the British military had serious doubts. This talk reveals why those fears […]
A members only opportunity to visit the 1950s RAF radar bunker in Wartling, East Sussex. Beneath the fields above the Pevensey Levels, in the heart of East Sussex, sits one of the most significant surviving Rotor R3 bunkers in the country — a two-level reinforced concrete structure built between 1951 and 1955 with walls, floor […]
A talk by Nigel Shearsmith, guest speaker, whose grandfather, RSM Bacon, fought in this action nr Abbeville almost exactly 86 years ago. Nigel writes: “Join amateur historian Nigel Shearman for the dramatic story of how a territorial battalion from Guildford faced the might of Nazi Germany’s invasion of France. Poorly armed and minimal training, these citizen-soldiers […]
The first of the year. Please bring in any military artefacts if you have them and talk for a few minutes about them, and pass them around if you wish to do so. If you do not have such items, do still come along and enjoy the evening. The laptop and projector will be set […]
A talk by George Hoad, a local amateur historian. Operation Musketeer was the Anglo-French plan for the invasion of the Suez canal zone to capture the Suez Canal during the Suez Crisis in 1956 and return it to Anglo-French control and operation. Israel, which invaded the Sinai Peninsula, had the additional objectives of opening the […]
Open only on 18/7/26: 1200-1600, 19/7/26: 1000-1300, 29/8/26:1200-1600, 30/8/26: 1000-1300 NB: The post is locked and secure at all other times and no equipment is stored inside. Step back into the Cold War at the Cuckfield ROC Post, one of the few surviving and fully restored Royal Observer Corps nuclear monitoring bunkers in the UK. This […]
Up to June 1944, Op Husky was certainly the largest amphibious invasion of WW2. Op HUSKY was the invasion of Sicily in July 1943 by the western Allies. Some historians contend that it was larger than Op OVERLORD but based on the number of divisions landed on Day and the size of the Landing Zone.
The Hellingly Festival of Transport is a laid-back day out for anyone who loves vehicles and history. Alongside classic cars and transport exhibits, the festival features a fascinating collection of military vehicles. It’s a great opportunity to see these vehicles up close, learn about their history, and enjoy a friendly, informal atmosphere with fellow enthusiasts. […]
Hosted by Shoreham Fort: As part of England’s largest festival of history and culture, Shoreham Fort is open to all. Admission is free.
Confirmed title and synopsis to follow. Seaford was an army training base before and during the First World War, with two massive army camps north and south of the town.
TBC The Battle of Dorking (1871) by George Tomkyns Chesney is one of the most influential works of early invasion literature—a vivid and unsettling fictional account of Britain’s sudden defeat by a technologically advanced European power. Written in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War, it captured contemporary anxieties about national preparedness, military reform and the […]