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Join us this month at a recent meeting of the newly inaugurated Hereford Militaria Club - an opportunity for military researchers, collectors, military vehicle owners and family historians to meet over a meal and share no end of fascinating stories. This lively bunch met at the Godwins Pub in the Herefordshire village of Bartestree - once the headquarters of the famous Godwins encaustic tile manufacturers.

We hear a tantalising snippet of Mick Atkinson's talk, showing Napoleon's personal Legion d'Honneur, worn in many famous battles and later in captivity. More of Mick in a future podcast!

We also hear from Reg Gibson about his interest in military vehicles and the discovery of a poem written by his late mother Jean dedicated to a crew of an RAF bomber that was lost over Germany. It was to be read to them at an 18th birthday party. After finding the poem, Reg said he wanted to "bring the names of these young men back from the dead, to celebrate their lives and acknowledge their sacrifice". Thanks to Reg's research and dedication, the poem was shared with the crew's family, nearly 80 years on and a recording played at their graveside.

If you would like to join us at our next meeting of the Hereford Militaria Club, contact us: hfdlimuseum@gmail.com

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Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

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Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

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This month, Rev Paul Roberts joins the crew of the Sutton Voices HR1 Podcast, a community podcast from the Herefordshire village of Sutton St Nicholas. Keith Lawton and Mike Winnell have recorded 33 episodes, winkling out the fascinating stories of local residents and cheering up the community in the face of relentless bad national and international news.

Paul, Mike and Keith compare notes on podcasting and talk about the research work undertaken by Sutton Voices on men on the local war memorial and the men remembered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in the two village churches - St Nicholas' and St Michael's. They also discuss the impact of acts of remembrance services in the village.

One man - Robert Garrard, who died with RAF Coastal Command proved a mystery, but the 1939 Register held the key to tracking down his link with the village.

Mike Winnell shares his literary creations - he has just finished his third novel spanning the 1930s and the Second World War. The central character being a member of MI8, radio security. HIs books Transmissions and To America are available on Amazon.

This leads the trio to talk about the importance of radio interception, code breaking and Bletchley Park. Both Paul and Keith having links - Keith's through work with British Telecom and Paul, whose grandmother was a Voluntary Interceptor during the Second World War. Keith also shares his father's experience during the Second World War, including having responsibility for 6,500 Italian prisoners of war in Egypt.

Support the show

If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

Support the Museum? Become a Patreon supporter or a Become a Friend

Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

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This month Rev Paul Roberts chats with Ledbury-born military researcher, Alyn Tanner.

Alyn, who runs the Herefordshire Regiment Research Group, talks about how he became interested in the Herefordshire Regiment and shares several individuals he has researched, including Pte Tommy Fletcher, one of the "'intrepid three" who returned to Gallipoli in 1965 for the 50th Anniversary. More information on these three veterans can be found in a short talk on our Youtube Channel.

As someone who emigrated to the United States, Alyn also shows the medals of Pte Andrew Harton who made the same journey in 1921, settling in Chicago, where his medals turned up a lifetime later.

We also hear a little about Alyn's own military career as in the British Royal Corps of Signals, and latterly his 19 years in the Minnesota National Guard. As well as the value of social media in connecting people with similar research interests together.

Support the show

If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

Support the Museum? Become a Patreon supporter or a Become a Friend

Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.