Category: News

We hold an archive of our past newsletters and we hope they may be of interest.

We are please to announce the launch of our new, modernised website which is now being maintained as sussexmilitary.com – replacing the old domain name.

The site features an up-to-date events listing and it is also possible to add subscribe your smartphone calendar so it is always up to date with the SMHS programme.

Shoreham Fort have a couple of Tin Hut Talks coming up which members may be interested in. The talks are held at Shoreham Fort in the last usable First World War Nissen Hut in the country. 

General Tuker: The Most Successful General You Never Heard Of 

Thursday 19^th March, 6:30pm

“This month’s Tin Hut Talk guest speaker is amateur historian Nigel Shearman. Join us to hear the story of General Francis Tuker, who conceived Operation Strike—ending the North African campaign, capturing 250,000 troops.

Commanding the 4th Indian Division, he pioneered tactics decades ahead of his time, with brilliance comparable to Montgomery’s.

Then illness struck at Monte Cassino—robbing history of a commander whose innovations could have shortened the Italian campaign.

Discover this forgotten genius and history’s greatest “What if…”

Tickets available here: Tin Hut Talks Tickets, Thursday, Mar 19, 2026 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | Eventbrite

A Hazardous Experiment: Indian Soliders, British Doubts And The Truth About The Western Front

Thursday 16^th April, 6:30pm

“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 were unfounded—and tells the remarkable story of how wounded Indian soldiers changed British minds when they arrived at Brighton’s hospitals.

Drawing on her PhD research, Karen Leenders challenges a century of myths about the Indian Corps on the Western Front. From the trenches to the hospital wards, she uncovers how Indian soldiers not only proved their worth in combat but transformed civilian attitudes back home.

This is where military history meets social history—the story of a “hazardous experiment” that succeeded against all expectations.”

Tickets available here: Tin Hut Talks Tickets, Thursday, Apr 16, 2026 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | Eventbrite

Archaeology South-East are holding an open day on Saturday 21^st February, at the Bexhill Drill Hall, focusing on their excavations at the First World War training camp at Cooden in East Sussex. 

“Our archaeologists will be on hand to explain the story of the excavations; a selection of the many artefacts we found will be on display as well as the Royal Sussex Living History Group giving us a taste of how the soldiers would have been dressed and equipped.”

The event is free to attend and will be open between 11:00am and 3:00pm. There is free parking around the venue. 

SMHS Chairman Stewart will be there, along with Gary Baines and the Royal Sussex Living History Group.

Find out more here: Cooden Camp, Bexhill | UCL Faculty of Social & Historical Sciences

Location: Bexhill Drill Hall, Downs Road, TN39 4HS

After six years or so at the helm, I will unfortunately be stepping down as newsletter editor in April. It’s been a blast producing this each month and sharing with you a huge variety of Sussex-related military history, most of which I had no prior knowledge of. However, a growing burden of work commitments and some new qualifications I’m studying for mean I no longer have the time to give this my full attention. 

Hopefully members will agree that a monthly newsletter is valuable to the society and a great way of reminding people of our meetings and connecting with those that can’t always attend. We are however therefore on the look-out for a new editor and someone to take over the reins from the May newsletter onwards (I will be stepping down at the AGM). If you’re interested and would like to know more about what is involved then speak to me at one of upcoming meetings or send me an email: newsletter@sussexmilitary.com