In conjunction with the 60th anniversary of D-Day, the University of Bristol is holding a lecture later this year about some of America’s most illustrious military figures and their links with Bristol.

The lecture will provide an amusing but also moving insight into the American presence in the city during the war years.

The lecture entitled ‘…Over Here: Americans in Bristol in WWII’, will be given by Derek Smith a retired Senior Lecturer and an expert on the history of The Holmes, home to US generals during World War II (WWII).

Following a brief introduction to The Holmes itself, Derek will talk about the period when General Omar Bradley, commander of the United States 1st Army, and other US generals were in residence during WWII prior to D-Day, including anecdotes involving General Lee and Winston Churchill.

Derek Smith, said: ‘For nearly ten months, The Holmes was the home to some of the most powerful US military men in Britain and it was the place where they were able to plan the D-Day invasion of Normandy in June 1944.’

The talk, organised by the University’s Public Programmes Office, will take place at 6.30 pm on Friday, October 22, at The Holmes at Churchill Hall, Stoke Park Road, Stoke Bishop, Bristol.

Tickets are priced at £4.50.  Prior enrolment is essential, to book your place contact Joan Lewis, Public Programmes Office, 8-10 Berkeley Square, Bristol or tel 0117 928 7157.

From July to September 1944, The Holmes became the residence of all the senior officers of the US 9th Army, which had come from New York to Bristol to prepare for their introduction into northern France.