IBCC Lecture & Supper Series – Operation Exodus – the Forgotten Story

Operation Exodus -Black and White photograph of a Lancasters and men in uniform

Operation Exodus and the forgotten story of The Long March and the world’s largest airlift of people – Thursday 3rd April 2025 18.30

On the 80th anniversary of the start of Operation Exodus we are delighted to be joined by leading historian, Mike Ingham.

During nine weeks at the end of the Second World War in Europe in early 1945 more than 354,000 British, Commonwealth, and Allied former Prisoners of War (POWs) were repatriated by air in what was – and still is – the world’s largest airlift of people.

The airlift involved many types of aircraft flown by crews from the RAF, RAAF, RCAF, USAAF, Polish Air Force, and French Air Force, a key element being the 72,319 former POWs flown by Lancasters of Bomber Command in Operation Exodus.

On what will be the 80th anniversary, aviation historian Mike Ingham recounts in this illustrated presentation the little known story of the forced evacuation of POWs on treks of 500 miles on foot, liberation, flights out of Germany, and eventual return home to England by air.

The evening starts with a delicious hot supper in The Hub Café at 18.30.

To book your tickets, please click here

The IBCC Events programme raises money to support our charity’s work with Learning and Outreach. To find out more about the range of events please click here.

Similar Events

IBCC Lecture & Supper Series – My Father’s Story – A Navigator in WW2

My Father’s Story – Flt Lt Alan Green –  A Navigator in RAF Bomber Command in World War 2  30th January 2025, 18.30 – 21.30 Stuart has enjoyed over 35 years in the aviation industry in a variety of roles, including Captain of Boeing and Airbus aircraft for a large UK airline. In 2011, Stuart […]

Read More...

IBCC Lecture & Supper Series – From Biplanes to Fast Jet

IBCC Lecture & Supper Series – From Biplanes to Fast Jet – 13th March 2025 18.30 – 21.30 ‘Join Mark Aedy as he talks about his new book From Biplanes to Fast Jets: A pilot’s life in the Royal Air Force 1942–1973, a biography of Ken Aedy, a man whose flying career traversed a huge transformation in technology from […]

Read More...

IBCC Book Festival – Women in War

Women in War Book Festival 14-15th March 2025 To mark the unveiling of our new Women in War exhibition at the Memorial Spire, we are delighted to welcome a host of fabulous female authors for our inaugural book festival.  The Women in War exhibition features 9 steel silhouettes of incredible women created by the team […]

Read More...