Events

Richard Holmes Memorial Lecture 2026

Tuesday 27th October 2026

The British Commission for Military History, the Battlefields Trust and the Guild of Battlefield Guides are pleased to announce that the 2026 Richard Holmes Lecture will be given by Jonathan Boff, Professor of Military History, University of Birmingham and is titled;

‘Redcoats to Dusty Warriors: Britain and its Soldiers from Waterloo to Helmand’

The relationship between British society, its Army, and the Soldiers who served and serve in it, has changed much and many times over the course of the last two centuries. This lecture will explore the dynamics of that relationship and the factors that drove its development, as the utility of the military, attitudes within civilian society, and the character of the Army itself, all evolved. It will conclude with some thoughts - provocations, perhaps - on where that relationship stands today and what the future might hold. 

It will take place at the Royal Air Force Club, 128 Piccadilly, London, W1J 7PY on Tuesday 27 October at 6.30pm, with the lecture starting at 7pm. Canapes and wine will be served afterwards. Tickets are £45 per person.

Tickets are available here - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/richard-holmes-lecture-2026-tickets-1999205308896?aff=oddtdtcreator

For further details please contact the British Commission for Military History using the contact form on its website at British Commission for Military History | British Commission for Military History.