Great War talk for historical society

ON Thursday, 29th November, Charles Brecknell will be giving a talk to the Kidderminster and District Archaeological and Historical Society entitled How to Survive the Great War: the War Service of Stuart Menzies 1914 - 1919, Dispatch Rider and Pilot.

The subject is Charles’s great-uncle, who served on the Western Front, Salonica and Egypt. For many years Charles had his uncle’s photograph album and a recent visit to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford prompted him to try to find out more. The talk covers the methods used to discover details of his war service, as well as showing many contemporary photos of aeroplanes and service life in the Great War.

Charles Brecknell has family connections to Kidderminster. The John Brecknell charity is still active in the town (John Brecknell was the speaker’s great-great-great-great-grandfather’s brother). Also known as the Church Street Supper, the charity still dispenses plum cakes upon the eve of every midsummer day, with pipes, tobacco and ale for the male inhabitants.

This is an afternoon meeting with a 2.15pm start held in St George’s Annexe, adjacent to St George’s Church, Radford Avenue, Kidderminster, DY10 2ES. There is a small charge for visitors who are very welcome.

More information about the Society including the programme for this season’s talks can be found on www. kidderhistsoc.btck.co.uk/