WW2 – Learn more about the Second World War at Chalke History Festival 2024
6th June 2024 marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day. The amphibious operation marked the start of the campaign to liberate France and remove the Nazi grip on north-west Europe.
Find out more about what’s going on at the Chalke History Festival (24-30 June 2024) to mark this anniversary and explore the most destructive conflict in human history.
Chalke History Festival has a variety of WW2-related talks, experiences and performances, to interest and inspire everyone from newcomers to Second World War aficionados.
Paid for Talks – booked in addition to your entrance ticket
1. THE STALIN AFFAIR: THE IMPOSSIBLE ALLIANCE THAT WON THE WAR – Giles Milton.
International best-selling author Giles Milton will reveal how Averell Harriman, the fourth richest man in America, and an unforgettable cast of British diplomats were sent into the heart of Stalin’s Moscow to negotiate with the Kremlin’s wiliest operators. Book Now.
42. WE HAVE WAYS LIVE! James Holland, Al Murray.
Join Al and Jim in this special live show of the hit Second World War podcast, for all your Second World War needs. Book Now.
46. D-DAY MORNING – Peter Caddick-Adams, James Holland, Stephen Prince, John Buckley, Stephen Fisher.
During the Second World War, 1944 was certainly a momentous year and the festival will mark the 80th anniversary with a focussed morning that draws on experts, new thinking, and very special artefacts and museum pieces that bore witness to extraordinary events. Book Now.
59. FORTITUDE: D-DAY DECEPTION – Tom Petch, Robert Hutton.
While the Germans knew an invasion of Europe was coming, they had no clear understanding of where the landings would take place or when. Operation Fortitude was designed to ensure this state of unknowing continued right up until D-Day. Book Now.
69. CASSINO ’44 – James Holland.
The long and bloody Battle of Cassino from January to May 1944 came to define the entire brutal Italian campaign of the Second World War. Book Now.
88. WAR MOVIES – Antony Beevor, Charlie Higson, James Holland.
With clips from some of the best – and worst – in the genre, our panel argue over what makes a great war movie, celebrate the finest and rant at those that got it all horribly wrong. Book Now.
Bruno Dey stands accused of being involved in a crime committed over seven decades ago: the murder of at least 5,230 inmates at Stutthof, the Nazi concentration camp in present-day Poland. Is it right to prosecute Bruno Dey more than seven decades after he stood guard at Stutthof, and, perhaps more importantly, what might we have done in his place? Book Now.
127. OUR SECRET WAR: THREE CENTENARIANS REMEMBER – Betty Webb, Simon Robinson, Christian Lamb, Pat Owtram.
This is a unique opportunity to hear from three inspiring women veterans who signed the official secrets act and conducted their war in secret and in support of D-Day. Book Now.
130. EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR: WOMEN WHO RESISTED – Kate Mosse.
With original music and captivating images, Kate brings to life some of the heroines of the Second World War who epitomise the unwavering strength of the human spirit in the darkest hours. Book Now.
135. THE PIANO PLAYER OF BUDAPEST: A TRUE STORY OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVAL, MUSIC AND HOPE – Roxanne de Bastion, Annabel Venning.
By piecing together his cassette recordings, unpublished memoirs, letters and documents, Roxanne sings out her grandfather’s story of music and hope and how he survived the horrors of the Holocaust in Hungary. Book Now.
Free Talks – included in your entrance ticket
Agent Zo was the only woman to reach London from Warsaw during the Second World War as an emissary of the Polish Home Army command. In Britain she became the only woman to join the Polish elite Special Forces, known as the ‘Silent Unseen’. Find out more.
41. THE LAND AT WAR – James Holland, Alex Langlands
At the start of the Second World War, Britain produced 14% of its own food but by 1945 that figure was 91% as a every effort was made to ensure food security for the nation. Find out more.
52. JOYCE WILDING: SOE FANY – Kate Vigurs, Joyce Wilding
56. MAPPING WORLD WAR TWO – Jeremy Black
This war posed cartographic problems on a scale until then unprecedented, and the rich legacy of maps is both fascinating and crucial to any understanding of the war. Find out more.
106. BATTLEGROUND LIVE! Saul David, Patrick Bishop
Bestselling historians Saul David and Patrick Bishop will host a live episode of their popular Battleground podcast on the subject of France 1944: from Pegasus Bridge to the Liberation of Paris, followed by questions from the audience. Find out more.
117. D-DAY 80: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY – Kate Vigurs
Stories of the Normandy landings, the bravery on the beaches and the fight for European freedom are well known, arguably well worn. However, without the help of the resistance, the Maquis and Special Operations Executive, the D-Day landings could have been very different. Find out more.
Experiences – some require additional booking
SOE Training Camp – Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 – 17:00. Book Now
Our hugely popular SOE Training Camp is back for 2024! This unique experience is the perfect opportunity for kids and adults to learn the skills and techniques of espionage from the Second World War.
The Trench Experience – Monday – Sunday. Check programme for details. Book Now
Step back in time and experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the Second World War in our immersive Trench Experience.
Soldier School – Monday – Sunday. Included in your entry ticket.
Perfectly tailored for younger children, this engaging and educational experience provides youngsters with a unique opportunity to step into the shoes of a World War II soldier. Find out more.
Performance & Living History – included in your entrance ticket
Major Banger King
Join 2nd Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment as they train for D-Day, fight their way into the Norman countryside, and face countless insurmountable odds. Find out more.
History’s Maid
Join historian and performer Dr Kate Vigurs as she brings to life captivating stories of incredible men and women across history, from the tale of a ‘canary’ working in a munitions factory on the home front to the amazing contribution of the Special Operations Executive in 1944. Find out more.
WW2 Tanks
A Sherman tank and a half-track will be appearing at the festival. Details TBC!
WW2 Flypast
The iconic Spitfire and Hurricane will be flying past the festival at the weekend, to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Find out more.
Join Us At The UK’s Leading History Festival
Entrance and talk tickets are now on sale – click here. Sign up to the Chalke History Festival newsletter here and check chalkefestival.com for updates.
