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Sinclair McKay reveals Winston Churchill's encounters at The Oldie Literary Lunch on April 9th 2024

'There is a sort-of link between my two books', Rick Stroud told The Oldie audience today, 'I have had an enormous amount of satisfaction trying to write about very, very brave women'.

Rick's latest book 'I'm Not Afraid of Looking Into The Rifles' was sold to Publisher, Simon & Schuster on what would have been his late daughter Nell's 47th birthday (in 2020).

'There is a link to (my books), and that is Lonely Courage is dedicated to my daughter Nell who died of cancer, she was a very, very brave woman and ran a circus, and I'm Not Afraid Of Looking Into The Rifles was sold to publisher Simon Schulster by a sad coincidence on what would have been her 47th birthday, but by then she left us'. Rick had tears in his eyes. He ended his speech with the poem 'The Life That I Have' by Leo Marks.

The Oldie Lunch was sponsored by Noble Caledonia River Cruises. Photos by Neil Spence Photography. Audio by Tom Assheton. Held at The National Liberal Club, 1 Whitehall Place, London.

Charles Spencer recounted, to The Oldie Literary Lunch today, the stories of 24 boys who had been at Maidwell Hall in 1972 and the terrifying story of how the Headmaster's religion had affected them.

The Headmaster told one boy that he was 'outraged that the boy's parents were getting divorced'. This was something that the boy was clearly struggling with. The Headmaster announced 'I think you should consider me as your father now'. The boy was taken down on Sunday evenings for what were called 'Sunday Night Confessions'. He had to strip and tell the Headmaster all the things that he had done wrong that week. He hadn't done anything wrong, so he invented 'little schoolboy crimes' said Spencer.

Charles Spencer told The Oldie Literary Lunch 'Maidwell Hall is actually a very good school now - that's not lawyers asking me to say that'. Charles told us: 'I have friends with children there (Maidwell Hall) and they seem to like it very much'

Earl Spencer called the book A Very Private School 'because that is how it thrived'. Charles recounted the horrendous experience of having a pediphile and sadist headmaster. 'It was utterly terrifying for all of us'.

The Oldie Lunch was sponsored by Noble Caledonia River Cruises. Photos by Neil Spence Photography. Audio by Tom Assheton. Held at The National Liberal Club, 1 Whitehall Place, London.

To salute the 80th anniversary of the Great Escape and the recent article about POW Roger Mortimer by his son, Charlie Mortimer we present this discussion between Tom Assheton and James Jackson on Great Escapes – events that have captured the imagination for generations.  From the simplest adoption of disguise to the longest tunnels, both successful and failed attempts have entered the realm of legend.  Everyone knows the tale of the Great Escape, yet far fewer remember the names of those who dug myriad escape tunnels to confound the Germans and try to reach home. Colditz and Stalag Luft III have been the subject of television and the big screen.  But the real stories of boredom, fortitude, courage and starvation – and death – give a picture that is more layered and complex than most now imagine. 


1. Inertia 2. The Wild, the Wacky and the Simple Plan  3. Organisation  4. Equipment, Killing Time & Techniques  5. The Camps  6. Other Escapes

Readings:
First published by https://bloodyviolenthistory.com/episodes/escape in august 2021
Marcus Scriven interview with wartime POW Frank Day – 2 extracts
Escape & Evasion from the Counter Terrorism Handbook, James Jackson

Welcome to this special episode to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the capture of General Kreipe.

One of the greatest feats in Patrick Leigh Fermor's remarkable life was the kidnapping of General Kreipe, the German commander in Crete, on 26 April 1944. He and Captain Billy Moss hatched a daring plan to abduct the general, while ensuring that no reprisals were taken against the Cretan population.

Here, Harry Bucknall, interviews General Sir Michael David Jackson. 

Harry Mount, Editor of The Oldie, speaks about Oldie Reader Tours and Barry Cryer's joke about Parrots