Churchill's Secret Reigate photobook

I am getting ready for my 2nd lecture about 'Churchill's Secret Reigate' next Saturday. Over 100 people have reserved free virtual tickets and there are limited spaces with good visibility.
This will be videoed fortunately, since publishing any research is a challenge. A few notable Churchillians, friends and military historians have seen the potential and are offering great support.

Would you like to view my souvenir photobook free of charge? Please scroll down to see the link. It's of little consequence compared with the material I'm able to share in my talk. If you'd actually like to purchase it, then I will send £4 for each copy to CHASE Children's Hospice, since I gather the small amount of Govt. funding has just been cancelled.

It was a treat this week to hear from Eric Sykes' agent regarding my research. His message is that Churchill was always his hero and I am very welcome to include an extract from his autobiography about his experience of Reigate during WW2. Certainly, it is an honour to do so. Eric Sykes was in the RAF stationed at Gatton Park. His book recounts how he was in radio signals and barely saw any aircraft, let alone women, but describes beautifully, the day he first walked all the way down the hill to Reigate and saw the Canadian effect of their troops that were over here. I think that all this time, he didn't realise that Reigate Hill was actually the HQ of South Eastern Command and exactly where Monty was in charge. It says a lot for the disguise techniques that I describe in my lecture. Eric Sykes has also documented his experience of D-Day after leaving Gatton, and later on, years later, meeting up with a fellow Canadian and introducing him to Vera Lynn. The message to me was that he was "thrilled"about my news.

So do take a look. On page 25, right at the end, is a poem by a good friend of mine who has a knack of encapsulating a great story, in a nutshell. The previous pictures have no caption so you can make up your own story if you are inspired to do so. Please notice Winnie the Pooh on page 2.

WW2 70th anniversary at the Cabinet War Rooms

Reigate's very own Myra Collyer is a star at age 85. She worked during the war in the Cabinet War Rooms as a shorthand typist and was then talent-spotted for her artistic ability to become an assistant to Churchill's three draughtsmen - doing headings for the maps, and nameplates for the ever-changing Admiralty staff upstairs.

It is 70 years on since the start of the war, and 25 years on since the Cabinet War Rooms were opened to the public. There is a new exhibition based on the memories of the people who worked there. The evening celebratory party was great fun and a privilege to attend - my photo album is a joy to behold, with Lady Thatcher, Dame Vera Lynn, and Jon Snow meeting the people who were there, helping to win WW2 and our freedom from tyranny. If only reporters could get their facts right. Jon Snow wore one of his many colourful ties for the occasion but he arrived late and wrote in his blog that her name is Gloria and she is 88. No sir ...... do the decent thing and correct your mistake.

Here's my photo album:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=117289&id=520276478&l=c63e639dc4