Author and historian Stuart Hadaway gives a slightly off-beat talk covering some of the lesser-known aspects of the First World War in the Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean. The talk will fall into three parts:

1) The Voyage of HMS Doris. This cruiser spent the opening months of the war raiding and landing parties on the shores of Palestine, Syria and Turkey, blowing things up and causing diplomatic incidents.

2) Port Said Seaplane Squadron. An interesting little unit, formed of French aeroplanes with mixed French Navy and British Army crews, operating off captured German ships captained by British Army officers, supported by Royal Navy Reserve officers and senior petty officers, and Cypriot and Syrian crews. They provided a vital and little known service!

3) Cattle Rustlers of the Aegean. Over the summer of 1916, the Royal Navy launched extensive and large scale raids using Greek irregular troops on the Anatolian coast, destroying defences and stealing tens of thousands of head of sheep, cows, camels, horses and bullocks to feed the fleet.

All are welcome and a lively discussion is guaranteed!

Admission £4 per attendee

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