Myths and Legacies of the Battle of the Somme

To round off the National Army Museum’s activities commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, we are inviting four experts to discuss the myths and legacies of the battle.

Each speaker will present their views for 10 minutes, and we will then open up the floor to questions from the audience. The event will also be live-tweeted and we encourage you to join in on Twitter using the hashtag #ArmyandSociety.

Panellists
Professor William Philpott (Kings College London) will present on the theme of ‘victory or defeat’ and why the Somme has been misremembered as a military disaster.

Dr Catriona Pennell (University of Exeter) will present on Irish involvement in the battle.

Professor Gary Sheffield (University of Wolverhampton) will discuss Haig, Rawlinson and Gough on the Somme.

Dr Helen McCartney (Kings College London) will explore why the Somme became an iconic battle in the British popular imagination from the 1960s and how that view might be changing during this period of centenary activity.

Places can be booked on www.nam.ac.uk or by telephone: 020 7730 0717

Dress code: the dress code for the Army & Navy Club is smart. Ripped jeans, sportswear and flip-flops are not permitted and entry will be refused with no refund.