The Hereford Military History Festival has announced the next 10 events for its debut festival, which will take place from Friday 26th – Sunday 28th September 2025.
Featuring internationally renowned writers and thinkers, including Philippe Sands, Clare Mulley, Conn Iggulden, Tessa Dunlop and David Beckham’s stepmother Hilary Meredith-Beckham, the rich and varied programme will provide a thorough exploration of global military history, showcasing key figures, human stories and the unusual aspects of war. The festival, which is made possible by headline sponsor allpay, will become a place for intelligent conversations about conflict, and the lessons the past holds for current moments of geopolitical instability.
From the Pre-Raphaelite painters’ secret regiment of artists to the only female resistance fighter to parachute into Nazi-occupied Poland; from a young Emperor Nero’s bloody rise in Ancient Rome to the human impact of the war in Ukraine, the Hereford Military History Festival offers something for everyone. Tickets are now on sale for:
Philippe Sands: 38 Londres Street. A blend of personal memoir, historical detective work and gripping courtroom drama, Sands will be discussing his later book with Julia Wheeler, which links former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet to a fugitive SS officer.
Conn Iggulden: Tyrant. The historical fiction specialist Conn Iggulden will be exploring the second novel in his new trilogy, which finds newly-crowned Emperor Nero fending off court rivals whilst embracing his fate as the most feared ruler in Roman history.
Tessa Dunlop: Lest We Forget. From her latest book, historian Tessa Dunlop examines how we remember the past, and what our war memorials and the people they commemorate tells us about our history and ourselves.
Tim Bouverie and Nicholas Soames: Allies at War. Churchill’s grandson Nicholas Soames in conversation with bestselling historian Tim Bouverie about his latest book, Allies at War, a landmark history of the alliance that won the war and made the peace.
Jenn Stout and Anna Reid: Ukraine: The Human Impact. Two bestselling authors discuss the impact of war in Ukraine from the early twentieth century to the present, unpicking the past and present of this bloody and complex borderland.
Clare Mulley: Agent Zo. Mulley will be discussing her Women’s Prize-shortlisted book which tells the incredible story of courageous resistance fighter Elżbieta Zawacka, AKA ‘Zo’, the only woman to parachute from Britain to Nazi German-occupied Poland.
Hilary Meredith-Beckham: Military Lawyer and step mother of a famous footballer, Hilary is widely regarded as the leading military solicitor in the UK with decades of experience representing service personnel and veterans.
Patrick Baty: Artists Rifles. The leading British historian of architectural paint will explore the most curious regiment in the British Army, formed in 1860 by a group of painters, architects, poets, sculptors, musicians and actors including the Pre-Raphaelites.
Damien Lewis: SAS Great Escapes Four. Damien Lewis’ latest book recounts the escape of three SAS captains from an Italian POW camp in 1943, a hazardous journey across occupied Europe aided by Dutch resistance networks, and a tense return to Britain.
Kate Adie: Dinner with Kate Adie. An evening of conversation over great food and wine with the legendary correspondent, Kate will surprise and enlighten us as she recounts her experiences to Julia Wheeler.
Made possible by headline sponsor allpay, the festival’s events will be set across historic venues including Hereford Cathedral, The Green Dragon Hotel, Hereford Town Hall and the newly-refurbished Castle Green Pavilion, tickets for the next 10 events are on sale now, alongside the first five events announced, including Sir Antony Beevor, Ben Macintyre and Daniel Finkelstein.
Website:https://www.herefordmilitaryhistoryfestival.com
Tickets:https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/military-history-festival
The inaugural programme combines a unique mix of historical insight into some of the world’s most devastating military events, local and regional stories from Herefordshire and beyond, and conversations around war in the 21st Century and the impact of conflicts on our lives today. Steeped in history, Hereford is the perfect setting for the new festival, having been a military stronghold for over two millennia — from Roman legions to the SAS.
Founder and CEO Christian Dangerfield said:“We started thinking about the festival in 2020, a long time before defence and geopolitics came back into focus in such a big way. The SAS garrison on the edge of the city, with helicopters going to and for, are a constant reminder of what’s going on in the world. Lyndy Cooke and Jo James of Handheld Events have put together a terrific speaker programme and I think the range and diversity of the talks will be very thought-provoking and stimulating. I would like to think that we will make a positive contribution to the current debate and that the festival will frame the re-evaluation of Britain’s role in the emerging landscape in an intelligent and multi-dimensional context.”
Headline sponsor allpay said: “Supporting the Hereford Military History Festival as headline sponsor is a natural fit for allpay. As a business rooted in Herefordshire, we’re proud to back an event that honours service, sacrifice, and community. It’s a privilege to stand behind those who have given so much.”
