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  1. History of German PoWs in Britain explored in new book by BGU Historian
    Alan Malpass, recently appointed Lecturer in Military History at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), has had his book 'British Character and the Treatment of German Prisoners of War, 1939-48' published by Palgrave Macmillan. The book examines attitudes towards German prisoners of war held captive in Britain, drawing on original archival material including newspaper and newsreel content, diaries, sociological surveys and opinion polls, as well as official documentation and the archives of pressure groups and protest movements. Moving beyond conventional assessments of POW treatment which have focused on the development of policy, diplomatic relations, and the experience of the POWs themselves, this study refocuses the debate onto the attitude of the British public towards the standard of treatment of German POWs. In so doing, it reveals that the issue of POW treatment intersected with discussions of state power, human rights, gender relations, civility, and national character. Speaking following publication, Alan discussed what drew him to the study and how it feeds back into the Military History course at BGU: “Having been brought up watching films of British POWs in Germany and the Far East, the captivity of hundreds of thousands of German POWs in Britain instantly interested me when I was told of them having worked on the land collecting in the harvest. If asked about the fate of POWs during WWII, I think most people would immediately think of Steve McQueen attempting to jump the barbed-wire fence on his Triumph motorcycle in The Great Escape and Alex Guinness collapsing on the plunger at the end of The Bridge on the River Kwai. Certainly, I was very surprised when I first learned of the German military cemetery in Cannock Chase and that German POWs were held at a camp just down the road from my parents’ house in Staffordshire during the war. Hopefully the book will help shed further light on this marginalised episode in British memory of the conflict. Given the prominence of Colditz Castle and the Great Escapers in our popular understanding of the Second World War, I wanted to investigate the debates, concerns, and memories the British had concerning the enemy prisoners who were held across the UK in wartime and post-war Britain”. “Prisoners of war might be ‘out of the fight’ when captured, nevertheless their experiences and roles, especially as workers for their captors, are important to consider when studying war and warfare. The history of POWs is as long as that of warfare itself and the codification of international laws to help protect them from abuse is intricately bound up with the development of ethical thought towards conflict. While combat and the ‘face of battle’ are central elements in the study of warfare, our BA (Hons) Military History Course also emphasises the wider social, ethical, and cultural impacts of war and its aftermath”. The BA (Hons) Military History degree course at BGU explores the county’s rich aviation and military heritage, from the medieval period through to the present day, alongside a global coverage of the history of war and its broader impact. If you are interested in joining these discussions, visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team for more information. You can also connect directly with our Military History team on Twitter
  2. Dr Martin Huggon
    Martin Huggon is a Lecturer in Archaeology and Heritage, particularly specialised in field archaeology and medieval archaeology. After spending 5 years in commercial archaeology he gained his PhD at the University of Sheffield, researching the archaeology of medieval hospitals in England and Wales, after which he began teaching archaeology at Bishop Grosseteste from 2017 onwards, initially as a Visiting and then Associate Tutor, before being made a lecturer in 2020. He is also editor of the journal Church Archaeology. His current research interests are focused upon the archaeology of later medieval religion, in particular monasteries, hospitals, friaries, and nunneries. Associated with this is a current research project on the military orders in the British Isles and Ireland, with the aim of carrying out field survey and excavation on sites across Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. He is also writing up excavations at Sulgrave Castle, one of the important Five Castle sites from across England.
  3. Dr Hannah Grenham
    Hannah has been a member of staff at Bishop Grosseteste University since 2017, when she joined the Centre for Enhancement in Learning and Teaching (CELT) as a Learning Development Tutor. Since 2021, she has worked as a Senior Lecturer on the Foundation Year programme and also contributes to teaching in the History department. Prior to coming to BGU, Hannah earned an undergraduate MA in English and Modern History and a postgraduate MLitt in Modern History, both from the University of St Andrews. She was awarded her PhD from the University of St Andrews in 2017 for a thesis titled ‘Power to the People: Changing Attitudes to Computer Technology in the United States, 1951-1982’. Hannah is also a Certified Practitioner of Learning Development through ALDinHE and an Associate Fellow of the HEA. Hannah’s research interests are in late modern US history, particularly in the connections between society, culture, and technology. She is also interested in researching the professionalisation of Learning Development and pedagogical practices within Higher Education. Foundation Year Our degrees with an embedded Foundation Year offer the chance to study almost any undergraduate degree at BGU over four years, rather than the traditional three. For more information, visit: bgu.ac.uk/course-types/foundation-year
  4. Kimberley Edwards
    Kimberley joined BGU in February 2023 after being a Head of History and teaching history at a variety of schools across Lincolnshire and Yorkshire for over a decade. Kimberley has worked with a range of different schools and departments, supporting both humanities and history teams through her role as a Specialist Leader in Education. For this role Kimberley specialised in improving teaching and learning within classrooms. Kimberley has also mentored and coached several teaching trainees across her career. Kimberley has also worked as an External Examiner and Team Leader for a large exam board within the UK, ensuring consistency across marking. Kimberley is passionate about history education, especially linking research to classroom-based practice. e: Kimberley.Edwards@bishopg.ac.uk
  5. Over £420k invested in local archaeological research
    Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) has received a grant of more than £427,000 from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to invest in the university’s archaeology department. The award was confirmed in a ministerial announcement by Science and Technology Secretary Chloe Smith. The grant is awarded to institutions that seek to upgrade facilities and enhance their capacity to contribute to the UK’s creative and cultural research economy. BGU has used the grant to refurbish teaching rooms and the archaeology laboratory on campus. The university’s Old School House will now host the new open access Lincolnshire Culture Heritage Research (LCHR) Hub. The funding has also enabled the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment to enhance the research capabilities of the department, including a 3D laser scanner and a drone fitted with a LIDAR sensor, which can produce high-resolution maps and 3D models of landscapes and historical buildings. Other new equipment such as a magnetometer and a ground penetrating radar allow archaeologists to “see” into the ground and identify what lies beneath without having to excavate. The equipment will be used at the university's upcoming archaeology field school, which will see excavation of the Haw Hill area of Swanpool in Lincoln, where significant archaeological findings are expected. Dr Derwin Gregory, Archaeology Programme Leader at BGU said: "The AHRC grant has allowed us to significantly enhance our facilities and research capabilities, enabling us to provide our students with a first-class learning experience. “The equipment purchased through this funding will also benefit the wider community of archaeology and history groups, who are encouraged to contact the department and arrange use of this sophisticated equipment for their own projects." The AHRC is the UK's largest funder of research and postgraduate training in the arts and humanities. As part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), it provides funding and support to institutions in the UK. The funding programmes are designed to support research across the full range of arts and humanities subjects. UKRI is investing £103 million to expand and upgrade the UK’s world class research infrastructure, including digital infrastructure. The investments will support the sector and ensure UK researchers have access to the best labs and equipment they need to keep producing world-class science. UKRI International Champion, Professor Christopher Smith, said: “The investments, made across the UK, will provide UK researchers with advanced equipment, facilities and technology, and help maintain the UK’s position as a leader in research and innovation. “This support will ensure the UK is an attractive place for scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs to live, work and innovate.” A full catalogue of equipment available to use can be found here. Dr Derwin Gregory with the Trimble R12
  6. Programme Leader of Archaeology and Military History explores the impact of the countryside on armed forces personnel during WW2
    In December 2024, Derwin Gregory, had his article accepted into the journal entitled Landscapes.
  7. Dr Derwin Gregory
    Associate Professor of Conflict ArchaeologyProgramme Leader, Archaeology, Military History, and Heritage derwin.gregory@bishopg.ac.uk Dr Derwin Gregory specialises in post-medieval landscapes and modern conflict archaeology. He has undertaken research projects on the archaeology of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the United States Army Air Force (USAAF). Following excavations at a Second World War airfield, during which he uncovered evidence of personal acts of memorialisation, he has become particularly interested in the link between material culture and wellbeing within the armed forces. Related courses: Archaeology & HistoryArchaeological Specialist ApprenticeshipMilitary History
  8. Bishop Grosseteste University announced as a partner for Imperial War Museums’ £2.5m art commissioning programme Call for Veterans
    The project being led by BGU invites serving and former members of the British Armed Forces who were deployed to Afghanistan to group art therapy workshops. In these sessions, veterans will explore what ‘home’ meant to them whilst serving in operating bases in Afghanistan and what it means to them now. A professional artist will be commissioned to work alongside the project team to create artwork that draws inspiration from the veterans’ experiences. Combined with the veterans’ art, the commissioned artwork will form part of a major new contemporary art exhibition that will explore the personal stories of the conflict in Afghanistan. As part of our wider research project, the team would also like to speak to any serving or former members of the British Armed Forces who served in Afghanistan and are interested in sharing their experiences of operating bases. Photographs and testimonies will be of particular interest. If you are interested in taking part in the project, please contact Dr Derwin Gregory at derwin.gregory@bishopg.ac.uk. Building on over 100 years of contemporary art commissioning by IWM, this new initiative continues the vision and reach of 14-18 NOW, the official UK arts programme for the First World War centenary, and has been made possible thanks to the success of Peter Jackson’s critically acclaimed film They Shall Not Grow Old, co-commissioned by IWM and 14-18 NOW. A share of the film’s royalties – £2.5 million – will see investment in artists and arts experiences as IWM partners with 20 cultural organisations and 22 artists from across the UK. The fully funded commissions will each be inspired by the heritage of conflict. Dr Derwin Gregory, Programme Leader for Archaeology and Heritage of BGU, says: “I am excited to be working with serving and former members of the British Armed Forces, in partnership with IWM, to create a major contemporary art exhibition that will allow veterans the opportunity to share their stories of life within operating bases in Afghanistan”. Diane Lees, Director-General of IWM, says: “IWM is delighted to be working in close partnership with such a breadth of UK organisations on this ambitious programme of art commissioning. After a challenging couple of years for the arts sector, we hope that the unprecedented opportunities enabled by the IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund will kick-start cultural dialogue as we recover from the wide-reaching impacts of COVID-19”. The IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund commissions will go on public display across the UK between 2022 and 2024. For further information about the IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund, please visit the IWM website.
  9. Archaeological dig at The Lawn to start next week
    A four-week excavation led by Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) begins Monday 20 June.
  10. Writing the Air War and Lincolnshire Conference
    11th & 12th May 2024

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