Alumnus Presents Latest MET@Alleyn’s Talk

It was wonderful to welcome Rick Stroud (Tulley's 1966) back to Alleyn’s to talk about his book, I Am Not Afraid of Looking Into the Rifles, with Alleyn’s pupils, staff and the wider community as part of our series of Monday Evening Talks, MET@Alleyn’s. 

Rick is a producer, director and author of several books. In his talk to the Alleyn’s community he recounted the incredible untold stories that he tells in this most recent book of eight women of the resistance in Belgium and occupied France during the First World War. The book highlights the risks they took and the bravery they showed with extraordinary results to establish underground networks, transmit coded information, carry out sabotage attacks and help to repatriate Allied soldiers. 

Rick spoke to the audience about the importance of chance within research and how it had shaped each of his four books. He shared his knowledge of women’s roles in the First World War and the challenge they faced returning to mundane tasks once the war was over. 

Before kindly signing copies of his books, the audience was keen to ask questions and learn more about Rick’s approach to writing, particularly his portrayal of spies.  

Thank you, Rick, for returning to Alleyn’s, for sharing your passions and giving us such an eye-opening perspective of this important period of history.