Talks
The Battle of Britain – Close call for Europe!
by Sir Christopher Coville
Date: Thursday 26 September 2024
The Battle of Britain determined not only the future of the United Kingdom, but also of Europe and arguably the whole of the western world.
Had the Battle of Britain been lost, the consequences to Europe would have been immense. In this incisive and novel examination of the greatest air battle in history, Sir Christopher Coville will address the events leading up to the conflict, the battle itself and the dire consequences had the Luftwaffe been the victors.
Air Marshal Professor Sir Christopher Coville was born in Liverpool in 1945 and joined the Royal Air Force in 1964 as a Flight Cadet at the RAF College Cranwell. After flying training, he served several tours of duty as an operational Lightning and Phantom pilot in the Air Defence role. His early career included staff and command appointments, including commanding No 111 (Fighter) Squadron, a spell in the Falkland Islands in 1983 as Officer Commanding Operations Wing, and later command of RAF Coningsby, flying the Tornado fighter. Later he held senior appointments in Command, in NATO and in the UK Ministry of Defence.
Sir Christopher has enjoyed a successful second career in business, in the charitable sector and in academia. He is past Chairman of Westland Helicopters Ltd (2005-February 2011), and past Chairman of the European Aerospace Companies’ Rotorcraft Group (2004-12).His recent appointments include: Ambassador for the Open University, Patron of the National Coastwatch Institution, Senior Defence Advisor to several Cyber and Aerospace companies, and Special Advisor to Leonardo Helicopters Ltd. Passionate about the British countryside, he is Chairman of the Sherborne and District Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE), and also chairs the Dorset County CPRE Policy Group. He lectures extensively on the Major Challenges Facing Mankind in the Twenty-First Century, has led international conferences on the security implications of Climate Change and has recently chaired a high level group examining Modern Deterrence and Escalation Management.
In 2022 he was appointed as a Professor in the Freeman Air and Space Institute, Kings College London.
