Residents hear of World War Two secrets

Sir Max Hastings talks about his new book The Secret War

PEOPLE gathered in Newbury to hear about a secret war from one of Britain’s most eminent military historians and writers last week.

Sir Max Hastings spoke to more than 90 people at Shaw House on spies and intelligence gathering methods of the Second World War.

Based on his latest book, The Secret War: Spies, Codes and Guerillas 1939-1945, Sir Max examined the successes and failures of covert campaigns from the perspective of all combatants and the importance of the Russian war effort.

Copies of The Secret War were available to purchase on the evening, with Sir Max also signing books.

Sir Max, who lives near Hungerford, is a former editor of the Daily Telegraph and was the first journalist to enter Port Stanley at the end of the Falklands War.

The talk was organised by the Friends of West Berkshire Museum, which supports and fundraises for the building.

The group holds a series of talks throughout the year and chairwoman Jill Hopgood said that Sir Max was an obvious candidate to invite to speak.

“We’re very fortunate that he came to talk to us,” she said. “The talk was very informative, illuminating and amusing in the way he spoke and the anecdotes he gave.

“He waived the fee and donated a percentage of his book sales towards the museum.

“We’re very fortunate in having someone who was so positive about the things we are doing to support the museum.”

The group raised more than £1,000 from the evening, which will go towards the museum’s bid to buy the Sulhamstead hoard, which comprises eight gold coins, or staters, believed to have been buried between 30BC and 20BC.

The next talk will be presented by Hungerford historian Roger Day, titled The West Kennet Valley in the Great War, at the museum on Thursday, March 10.

For more information visit www.friendsofwestberksmuseum.org.uk or ask at the museum.