Hundreds of people turned up to the annual Military History Live 2016 event that took place on Saturday 18th June, at the Adult Education building in Leicester. The event was an opportunity to explore the conflicts from previous wars that shape our world today.
Since the events success last year, it’s now 4 times bigger and Covers the last 500 years of military history, which provides an opportunity to discover Leicester’s involvement in these conflicts, the part played by its soldiers and those left behind on the home front.
Military History Live was free to attend and continued with sponsorship of Helion & Co Publishers.
The full programmed included two book launches and illustrated talks which took place throughout the day, these included topics on; conscientious objectors, prisoners of war, and those shot at dawn for desertion or cowardice in the First World War, amongst many others. The event was a great way for those looking to discover more about their own family’s involvement during World War I and World War II.
Many were welcomed to bring family mementoes along in order to let experts inform them and be guided through the archives available online to aid their own research.
Military History Live organiser John Coster explains about the event and turnout: “I often say to people it’s like, Blue Peter, meets Dorling Kindersley, meets Horrible Histories, with a few regimental ties and some academics and its 500 years’ worth of yesterdays that shape our today.
“We’re all brought up with that; one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. Its having the conversation as to why someone would decide to take our palms, whether that’s in Northern Ireland, in Syria, or the border of India and Pakistan. Conflict has shaped the world we live in, but we do not understand why and if we can do things like that here by getting people to connect and have those conversations, then that’s the reason why I work so hard,” he said.
“I’m really delighted with the turnout and some areas have been consistently busy. Having spoken to all of the exhibitors, they love coming here because they all get to meet each other and so I’m a bit like an exhibitor, but I don’t get to enjoy it as much as everyone else.”
