Christopher Leworthy
Speaker Topics
History
Locations Covered
South East, Wales, South West, East Midlands, West Midlands
Fees
Free
Availability
Short Notice
Profile Bio
After retiring I decided to develop my interest in military history. I now lecture on the Battle of Britain most weeks, to a variety of audiences, and have recently started delivering talks on Operation Jubilee (the Dieppe Raid), Operation Chastise (Dambusters' Raid) and DDay. The talks last for around 40 minutes and I'm always happy to take questions. Although I am based in Southern England and for some of my time in South Wales, I am willing to travel within reason, and am also now highly experienced in giving these talks using Zoom.
The talks are designed to be fascinating, gripping and emotional, with enough analysis, detail and pace to engage the audience completely. A number of relevant anecdotes bring the stories to life and the audience is left in no doubt as to the bravery and supreme effort made by those involved. Feedback has been extremely positive, with a recent Tripadvisor posting describing a talk as ‘Dynamic and emotional’. Zoom talks have been described as "stirring and inspiring' and a 'tour de force'. Several organisations have been so enthralled that they have asked for repeats and/or follow up presentations.
I make no charge for talks, but, ask for a contribution towards a supported charity plus a sensible, pre-agreed contribution towards travel costs for an in person presentation.
I am only too happy to answer any questions about whether and how these talks may be tailored to suit any particular audience
Talk Description
Battle of Britain - 85 years on
It is now 85 years since the Battle of Britain and this talk recalls the challenges, the threats and the events of that summer which, in a few short months, saw German occupation of Northern Europe, the Low Countries and Norway, Operation Dynamo, and the crucial and vicious 113 days of the Battle of Britain. The talk will describe the incredible bravery of a number of individual young pilots and will cover:
- the political background
- the key personalities
- the Dowding Interception system and its pivotal role
- the start of the battle - Kanalkampf
- the four stages of the battle
- September 15th - objectives, the two major raids, the outcome
- conclusions
The talk gives a vivid description of each part of this battle, bringing the story to life with the inclusion of the experiences of individual pilots as they grappled with overwhelming odds. It has been wonderfully received by dozens of receptive audiences.
Other Talks
- Disaster and Bravery at Dieppe - 19th August 1942
- Operation Chastise - the Dambusters’ Raid
- D Day - 6th June 1944
Each of these talks can be provided by Zoom if required