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History of German PoWs in Britain explored in new book by BGU Historian
Alan Malpass, recently appointed Lecturer in Military History at Lincoln Bishop University (Lincoln Bishop), has had his book 'British Character and the Treatment of German Prisoners of War, 1939-48' published by Palgrave Macmillan. The book examines attitudes towards German prisoners of war held captive in Britain, drawing on original archival material including newspaper and newsreel content, diaries, sociological surveys and opinion polls, as well as official documentation and the archives of pressure groups and protest movements. Moving beyond conventional assessments of POW treatment which have focused on the development of policy, diplomatic relations, and the experience of the POWs themselves, this study refocuses the debate onto the attitude of the British public towards the standard of treatment of German POWs. In so doing, it reveals that the issue of POW treatment intersected with discussions of state power, human rights, gender relations, civility, and national character. Speaking following publication, Alan discussed what drew him to the study and how it feeds back into the Military History course at Lincoln Bishop: “Having been brought up watching films of British POWs in Germany and the Far East, the captivity of hundreds of thousands of German POWs in Britain instantly interested me when I was told of them having worked on the land collecting in the harvest. If asked about the fate of POWs during WWII, I think most people would immediately think of Steve McQueen attempting to jump the barbed-wire fence on his Triumph motorcycle in The Great Escape and Alex Guinness collapsing on the plunger at the end of The Bridge on the River Kwai. Certainly, I was very surprised when I first learned of the German military cemetery in Cannock Chase and that German POWs were held at a camp just down the road from my parents’ house in Staffordshire during the war. Hopefully the book will help shed further light on this marginalised episode in British memory of the conflict. Given the prominence of Colditz Castle and the Great Escapers in our popular understanding of the Second World War, I wanted to investigate the debates, concerns, and memories the British had concerning the enemy prisoners who were held across the UK in wartime and post-war Britain”. “Prisoners of war might be ‘out of the fight’ when captured, nevertheless their experiences and roles, especially as workers for their captors, are important to consider when studying war and warfare. The history of POWs is as long as that of warfare itself and the codification of international laws to help protect them from abuse is intricately bound up with the development of ethical thought towards conflict. While combat and the ‘face of battle’ are central elements in the study of warfare, our BA (Hons) Military History Course also emphasises the wider social, ethical, and cultural impacts of war and its aftermath”. The BA (Hons) Military History degree course at Lincoln Bishop explores the county’s rich aviation and military heritage, from the medieval period through to the present day, alongside a global coverage of the history of war and its broader impact. If you are interested in joining these discussions, visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team for more information. You can also connect directly with our Military History team on Twitter -
BGU Military History student completes work placement with GCHQ Departmental Historian and produces research article
The second-year work placement module is an important component of all the history degrees delivered at Bishop Grosseteste University. Students have the opportunity to experience a work-based placement or undertake a career-focused research project, where they gain hands-on experience and put their skills into practice. A Military History student undertook a work placement with the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) Departmental historian as part of his degree. You can learn more about the skills and experience he gained from the work placement below. “For my work placement, my tutor found me a special project in my area of interest, signals intelligence, working with Dr David Abrutat, historian for GCHQ. The project focused on local history at a former RAF intercept station, Branston Mere in Lincolnshire, but it also included the wider role these Y stations played in the history of signals intelligence. The research drew on several sources, including individuals’ accounts and photographs held by the Branston history group, documents held in the National Archives, and by the RAF and International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive, as well as the knowledge and research to date held by my tutor, Dr Claire Hubbard-Hall. Piecing together the evidence highlighted the significance of the site and the wider signals intelligence contribution both in detecting the emergence of re-armament in Germany after the First World War, and in supporting the code-breaking work carried out at Bletchley Park during the Second World War. The placement was a great opportunity for me to explore and collate new information that contributes to our understanding of the complexity, inter-dependencies, and importance of signals intelligence operations, from its inception at the start of the twentieth century through to the Cold War era” - BGU Military History Student Speaking about the experience Dr David Abrutat FRHistS FRGS, GCHQ Departmental Historian added: ‘Collaboration projects, like this one with BGU, are important to me and my Department. Our rich history is as broad as it is deep and many of the Second World War collection sites have little in the way of researched history. This piece by a BGU Military History student has brought one of the most significant RAF SIGINT sites in the country to life.’ You can read their published article below. Research Article If you are interested in studying Military History at Bishop Grosseteste University please click here. You can find out more about the range of history courses on offer at one of our forthcoming open days. You can follow the activities of the Military History team on Twitter @BGUMilitaryHist. -
Your Opportunity to Help BGU Bring the History of Lincoln’s Female Footballers to Life
Staff and students at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) are excited to be working in partnership with the Lincoln Mystery Plays and the Lady Imps Supporters Association to shed a new light on the fascinating, and sometimes controversial, history of Women’s Football in Lincolnshire. With a legacy dating back over 100 years the Lincoln Ladies, or Lady Imps, are one of the Sport’s most enduring teams, gaining huge popularity during the Great War before an FA ban at the end of the conflict forced them to fight for their survival. As the nation marks the centenary of the end of The Great War, BGU and the Lincoln Mystery Plays Company will be curating an exhibition along with an original play ‘The World at Her Feet’ which they hope will not only bring the extraordinary stories of the trailblazing Lady Imps to light, but also inspire a new generation to follow in their footsteps. The exhibition, which follows BGU’s exploration of Women’s Voting Rights in the county, is to be held at Lincoln Central Library and will be open to the public from the 27th of September whilst ‘The World at Her Feet’ will be on show at the Drill Hall from the 11th of November. Together they will offer a unique viewpoint on a fascinating corner of local and sporting history and you now have the opportunity to be a part of it. The Research team at BGU, led by Dr Andrew Jackson, yesterday launched their appeal to local residents for any stories, photographs and memorabilia they might be willing to share with the exhibition. Speaking to Melvyn Prior on BBC Radio Lincolnshire they encouraged any one with memories or items they would like included in this unique project to contact andrew.jackson@bishopg.ac.uk or ladyimps@mail.com. The Research Team at BGU are dedicated to preserving and championing the history of Lincolnshire and its residents. You can keep up to date with all their activities via our website or, if you would like to get involved yourself, you can contact our Enquiries Team to find out how to start your new adventure. -
Bishop Grosseteste University to Lincoln Bishop University: An exciting new chapter in our proud history
We are pleased to announce that our proposal to change our name to Lincoln Bishop University has been formally approved by the Office for Studies (OfS). -
War injuries and Skinheads take the stage as BGU students share their prize winning research at history conference
Connie Wragg and Lewis Bird, third year History students at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), presented their research and engaged in discussions at the regional Undergraduate Dissertation Showcase. Run by the East Midlands Centre for History Learning and Teaching (EMC), the Showcase drew speakers from across the East Midlands and encouraged discussions on a very diverse range of historical topics, including the cultural history of milk, female poisoners, and the Black Panther Movement. Both Lewis’ and Connie’s presentations focused on their dissertation specialisms. Lewis examined the politicisation of the Skinhead movement, explaining the group’s multicultural origins before discussing the reasons for their later far right associations, with a particular focus on the role of the media. Connie meanwhile provided an overview of her research on perceptions of maxillofacial injury during the First World War, and the impact that losing their face had on these soldiers’ self-identity. Both presentations were well received, with Connie’s sharing the prize for best presentation of the day with Anya Maude (University of Nottingham) and Kieran Blake (University of Lincoln). Dr Hazel Kent, BGU’s steering group representative for the EMC, accompanied Lewis and Connie to the event and praised the pair for their hard work: “This was a truly inspiring event which demonstrated the depth and range of historical research being done at undergraduate level. Lewis and Connie were superb ambassadors for History at BGU and I am so pleased they took this opportunity to communicate their original and intriguing research to a wider audience. The standard of the presentations was extremely high and I am delighted that Connie’s was judged to be one of the best”. If you would be interested in joining these discussions visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team for more information on our wide range courses including a selection of joint honours BA History degrees, our MA in Social & Cultural History and our new BA (Hons) in Military History. -
Programme Leader of Archaeology and Military History explores the impact of the countryside on armed forces personnel during WW2
In December 2024, Derwin Gregory, had his article accepted into the journal entitled Landscapes. -
Remembering SOE Agent Denise Bloch on Holocaust Memorial Day 2021
This piece has been written by Dr Claire Hubbard-Hall, Programme Leader for Military History at Bishop Grosseteste University -
New exhibition explores British troops' deployment experience
‘Behind the Bastion’, an art exhibition exploring the personal stories of British troops deployed to Afghanistan, will open to the public on Friday 9th June. The exhibition features new artwork by Ed Kluz and pieces created by veterans. Led by Bishop Grosseteste University's Archaeology and History Programme Leader, Dr Derwin Gregory ‘Behind the Bastion’ is part of a wider project on vernacular ‘placemaking’ within the British military, exploring how British troops make operational bases feel like home while deployed overseas. Dr Derwin Gregory said: “This project aims to bring together art, history, and military experience to uncover the often-overlooked stories of British troops deployed overseas. “I hope 'Behind the Bastion' will generate new conversations about the personal experiences of troops and the impact of their built environment on mental health, and I look forward to sharing our findings with the public." The project has been made possible by the IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund, a national partnership programme of over 20 artist commissions inspired by the heritage of conflict. Led by Imperial War Museums, the IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund was created following the success of 14-18 NOW, the official UK arts programme for the First World War centenary. Rebecca Newell, Head of Art at Imperial War Museums said: “Working with artists has been a core part of IWM’s practice since the First World War. Part of the IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund, Behind the Bastion continues this important tradition, telling stories of conflict through new and thought-provoking ways.” Artist Ed Kluz, who has been commissioned by the project for the temporary exhibition, said: “It has been such an honour to work with the veterans in carefully exploring the profoundly complex experiences of serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. I knew from the start of the process that the pace and lines of enquiry had to be led by them - by the exploration and respectful acknowledgement of their trauma and testimonies in collaboration with our art therapist. “The form of this piece references the watchtowers which are often found in war zones surrounding military bases. Here, though, rather than it being a structure from which a view is achieved by looking out, here perspectives and insights are gained by peering in.” The exhibition is free to visit and will run from Friday 9th June to Sunday 20th August 2023 at The Stable Yard Gallery at Doddington Hall. For more information, click here or contact derwin.gregory@bishopg.ac.uk. -
New research exploring Lincoln’s burial grounds set to launch
The Survey of Lincoln is set to unveil its latest literary endeavour on Saturday 2nd December, with the launch of new book: ‘Lincoln's Burial Grounds: Commemorating the City's Dead.’ The book is edited by local historian Dr Andrew Walker and features contributions from various members of the Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) academic community. Andrew Priestley, a current third-year student pursuing a BA (Hons) in Military History at BGU, contributed a chapter named ‘Memorials to the fallen in Eastgate Cemetery: a survey of the different ways soldiers, sailors, and airmen are commemorated in a small urban cemetery’. Andrew’s research efforts focus on finding military graves in civilian graveyards and identifying the reasons behind their placement. Andrew said: “The research process for my chapter in ‘Lincoln’s Burial Grounds’ was an exciting opportunity to discover some real insights into the memorialisation of war dead within smaller, civilian sites in Lincoln. “I hope my contribution highlights the diverse stories of local soldiers.” Programme Leader for Archaeology and Heritage, Dr. Derwin Gregory’s research ‘Lincoln's Emergency Mortuary During the Second World War’ uses conflict archaeology to examine a crucial aspect of the city's wartime history. The opening chapter ‘Archaeology and Lincoln's Early Cemeteries’ is authored by Dr. Mick Jones, Visiting Reader in Archaeology. Dr. Hazel Kent’s chapter ‘Remembering Lincoln's Civilian War Dead (1939-1945): Memorials and Graves’ focuses on those who lost their lives in Lincoln during World War II, whether as a result of enemy action, military accidents, or civil defense duties. Dr. Kent said: "Participating in this research has been enlightening. It underscores the value of diverse academic perspectives from various backgrounds in bringing our local history to life. “It's great to have so many members of BGU involved in the new research and we’re excited to share our findings with the community.” The official book launch is scheduled for Saturday 2nd December at St Hugh's Church Hall, Monks Road and is open to the public. Doors will open at 9.30 am, with short talks about selected chapters beginning at 10 am. Attendees can enjoy tea, coffee, and biscuits, and copies of the book, as well as previous volumes, will be available for purchase. -
New exhibition sheds light on Lincoln life
A new exhibition will see downhill Lincoln's history brought to life at the city’s historical Guildhall building. The project was created by second-year Archaeology and History students from local Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU). The temporary exhibition offers free admission and will be hosted at the Guildhall and Stonebow from Wednesday 29th March to Monday 17th April 2023. Visitors will be taken on a journey through the history of Downhill Lincoln from Prehistory to Present Day. According to one BGU student, it was refreshing to research an aspect of Lincoln’s history that is often overlooked. Milly Jennett said: "A lot of conversations about the history of Lincoln revolve around the cathedral quarter, so it's been fun getting to explore downhill and shedding some light on an area that isn't always talked about." A variety of archival documentary sources, archaeological sites, and artifacts form the basis of the exhibition’s research. The installation showcases the students’ findings, allowing visitors to learn more about Lincoln's fascinating past while visiting one of the city's most interesting historical buildings. Dr Derwin Gregory, Programme Leader for Archaeology and Heritage at BGU said: "The creation of the exhibition has been an exciting opportunity for our students to not only undertake research into downhill Lincoln, but to design and create their own exhibition." Student Shannon O'Neill also found the experience enlightening. She said: “Each student has covered a different period in Lincoln’s history, and it's been interesting coming together and seeing how all the different time periods slot together to form this bigger timeline of events that we're showcasing in the exhibition.” Visitors can find opening times and more information at VisitLincoln.
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