A new series of insightful and in-depth military history seminars has been announced by Military History & Heritage Victoria Inc. (MHHV), to be held at the Pompey Elliott Memorial Hall in Camberwell from September 2015.
MHHV President Colonel Marcus Fielding said:
“Military History & Heritage Victoria is already well known for its leading informational website at www.mhhv.org.au and its insightful military history conferences.
Due to the growth of both its organisational and individual membership MHHV is now expanding its product offering both to its members and to the wider public interested in Australian military history during this Anzac Centenary period.”
MHHV will offer a Spring seminar speaker program in 2015 followed by a three season program in 2016. The Spring 2015 seminar series will include:
A wasted Effort? – The RAAF and the Battle for Tarakan 1945 by Mr Tony Hastings. Tony is completing his PhD in military history with the University of NSW at the Australian Defence Force Academy. His presentation will examine the often criticised efforts of the RAAF during the invasion of the island of Tarakan, located off the coast of Borneo, and place the campaign the wider context of the RAAF’s role in Pacific War in 1945 – Wednesday 4th November between 6.30 – 8.00 pm.
- The Ottoman Defence against the Anzac Landing 25th April 1915 by author Professor Mesut Uyar. This was a rare opportunity to hear from an internationally renowned scholar about arguably the most important battle of the Gallipoli campaign from the Ottoman perspective. Using Ottoman military documents, regimental war diaries, personal accounts and memoirs, Uyar describes the unfolding campaign, unravelling its complexity and resolving many of the questions that have dogged allied accounts for a century – Wednesday 9th September
- The Fighter by author Paul Warren. Former ADF soldier and Australian martial arts champion Paul Warren talks about the IED ‘incident’ which seriously wounded him and killed his mate in Afghanistan in 2009, his painful recovery both physical and mental and his work now for Mates4Mates, dedicated to helping other wounded soldiers – Wednesday 7th October 2015 between 6.30 – 8.00 pm.
The ‘Pompey Elliott Memorial Hall’ is located at the Camberwell RSL Sub-Branch at 403 Camberwell Road, named in honour of Major General Harold Edward ‘Pompey’ Elliott CB, CMG, DSO, DCM, VD. Elliott was a senior officer in the Australian Army during the First World War and served as a Senator in the Australian parliament. He was also the second President of the Camberwell RSL Sub-Branch in 1919.
Seminar Speaker Program Logistics. The MHHV seminar speaker series will run on the nominated evenings between 7.00 – 8.00 pm following drinks and snacks from 6.30 pm.
Entry & Catering. The seminar speaker series will attract an entry fee $5 for MHHV members, veterans, concession card holders and students while all other guests will be $10 to cover the costs of providing food, tea & coffee and hall use. Drinks at RSL prices.
Contact Military History and Heritage Victoria about this article.
