The 35th Annual Wellington Lecture 2024: "Wellington and two world wars"

We are honoured to present Emeritus Professor of Modern History at the University of Southampton, Professor Adrian Smith, who will be speaking on 'Wellington and two world wars'.Adrian Smith is Emeritus Professor of Modern History at the University of Southampton. His books include a two-volume biography of Admiral Lord Mountbatten, the lives of aviation pioneer and industrialist Sir Richard Fairey and of socialist air ace ‘Mick’ Mannock, a history of the early New Statesman and a collection of essays on twentieth-century Coventry. Away from political and military history he writes extensively about music and sport.Professor Smith will be talking about how both world wars saw significant anniversaries of Waterloo, but ironically in each conflict the British enjoyed only brief access to the battlefield. Despite this, Smith illustrates how the ‘Iron Duke’ was an ever-present, memorialised in the names of ships, aircraft and regiments. Even in an age of industrial warfare Wellington remained an inspirational figure, his tactical legacy most evident in theatres of operation outside Europe.Turner Sims will be open for refreshments from 5.30pm, and there will be a Q&A after the lecture.