Great War Swansea - TV documentary

I have been contracted to act as adviser/researcher to BBC Wales for its forthcoming documentary on Great War Swansea.

I met with the producer this week and, as part of the contract, I am providing the Beeb with material from my forthcoming book, Swansea in the Great War, which will be published in October 2014. The documentary will be fronted by Eddie Butler and will be a half hour in length.

The BBC will also be looking at issues that I may not have covered though I suspect that my content will save them a lot of digging in the archives!

Interest in the Great War centenary...

Unsurprisingly the amount of interest in the centenary is rising fast. In recent years I have given the occasional talk on the Swansea Workhouse or the Swansea Pals to local history societies.

In the next 12 months or so I am giving talks on Swansea in the Great War at Swansea Museum (twice), two libraries in Swansea, Swansea U3A, Newton WI, the Bynea and Llwynhendy history society, Blackpill History Society, Swansea Probus Club, Neath U3A and one or two others...

I don't charge a fee for local societies (Swansea/Neath area in the main) but instead ask for a modest donation to a local charity of my choice.

Hopefully the high interest will translate into book sales once 'Swansea in the Great War' hits the shops in October! I don't suppose JK Rowling is trembling in her boots, though...

First public talk...

I gave my first public talk on `Swansea in the Great War` to the Oystermouth Historical Society on Thursday. Good turn out and the talk seemed to go down well as two attendees booked me for a talk to their organizations.

I didn't charge a fee but accepted a donation for a local charity. And they kindly gave me a bottle of red! More talks booked for the coming months...busy time ahead and book to be published early October.

Media interest..?

BBC Wales have commissioned two half hour programmes, each one to focus on a Welsh community in the Great War. One of the towns is Swansea and I have been approached to see if I would want to contribute to the programme in some way.

Production begins in early May and is estimated to take six weeks to complete from research to editing.

I might be able to help though, after sweating blood for a year on 'Swansea in the Great War', any efforts on my part have to be made worthwhile by the BBC. Not keen on handing over my research for a 'token gesture' on the part of the BBC!    

We'll see...

Evening Post article today...

An article I wrote a while back was re-featured today by the Evening Post as part of its ongoing Great War coverage.

It was the story of Captain John Stanley Strange and his service in the Swansea Battalion.

There will be more articles in the Post as the months go on to August 2014.

NOTE: NOT ALL THE ARTICLES THAT APPEAR IN THE POST ARE INCLUDED IN THE BOOK!

I CAN'T DRIP FEED THE UNPUBLISHED BOOK TO THE NEWSPAPER...

Bernard Lewis
18 February 2014 

Swansea in the Great War

Draft book now being proof read prior to publication in October 2014.

I will be contributing occasional articles on Swansea in the Great War to the South Wales Evening Post in the coming months though some of those will be stories which didn't quite make it into the book. If anyone has any queries or is interested in getting a copy of the book when published, contact me here!

Bernard Lewis
14 February 2014

Off to the publisher!!!

'Swansea in the Great War' (81,000+ words and 243 images) goes off to Pen and Sword Books on Monday, 13 January 2014, for publication in October 2014.

Too late for new information now but if you think you'd be interested in the book please send me a message via this blog.

Feet up for a bit now!

Bernard Lewis