Trustees

Foreword

From the outset the idea was that the Centre would be comprehensive and cover servicemen and women, civilians and conscientious objectors, and be international in scope. I am delighted to report that ten years on the Centre’s archive comprises approaching 10,000 lives, more than the original Liddle Collection, and is regularly used by authors, researchers, students and the media as a source of relevant and fresh material on WWII.

Of course, that has not been achieved without the hard work and support of many people, the Centre’s sponsors and donors, honorary fellows, patrons, trustees and staff, and, above all the many committed volunteers without whom our task would have been an uphill struggle.

Kelvin Bell – BA FCA

Was educated at Wolstanton County Grammar School and graduated from Liverpool University before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse.
He has a wealth of Commercial and Industrial Experience serving as Managing Director of engineering and technology based organisations and latterly his own company.
Kelvin has also worked with mental health and youth based charities. For many years Kelvin has had a keen interest in all aspects of the Second World War and was delighted to join the Board of Trustees in July 2008.

Robert Fleming – FIOD

Educated at Carlton Grammar school, Bradford; Robert joined the RAF as an airman in 1974. Trained as a Registered nurse and Clinical Teacher, he retired as Flight Lieutenant in 1985 following service home and overseas including the Falklands in 1982.
As Trustee he hopes to assist the Centre in making the collection and resources available to a much wider audience, helping to realise its educational value and increasing his own awareness of the Second World War in the process. Although his lifetime passion is very much linked – a pilot, he has been involved in restoration and operation of mainly historic aircraft, including the WWII Spitfire, Hurricane, Buchon (Me109),Sopwith 'Pup' and several other important examples of civilian and late WWI types. The current or past members of The Real Aeroplane Company fleet are often seen in public displays, operated from Breighton airfield in Yorkshire.
Robert, co-founder 28 years ago of a very successful plc technology company, remains active in high tech companies, the care industry, property and aviation.

Graeme Rimer

As Head of Collections at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, Graeme directs the operations of the Curatorial, Conservation, Registar and Museum Technician Departments. Graeme joined the Royal Armouries (then the Armouries of the Tower of London) in 1975 as a Museum Assistant, having formerly trained as a Conservator and worked for the Arms & Armour Department of the Wallace Collection, London. After promotion to Research Assistant, he was appointed Keeper of Firearms in 1988 and in 1990, he was invited to head a new Weapons Department, combining the two departments of Firearms and edged weapons. He was Editor of the Journal of the Arms & Armour Society from 1982 to 1986 and has published a number of articles, exhibition catalogues etc. relating to various aspects of Arms and Armour. He is currently Chairman of the Museums Weapons Group and of the Leeds Museums Collections Group. Graeme was appointed as the Centre's Curatorial Advisor in 2002 and joined the Board of Trustees in January 2003.

Major-General Henry Woods CB, MBE, MC, DL, DLitt, MA, FRSA

combines military experience going back to the Second World War with strong educational interests. He was educated at Trinity College, Oxford, where he gained a First class degree in History. Commissioned in the 5th Dragoon Guards (on which he has written a book), he served with distinction from 1944-5 and post-war in Korea and Egypt. Later he commanded the Royal Armoured Corps Centre in Dorset and was GOC North-East District. Since leaving the service in 1980, he started and ran the West Yorkshire Science and Technology Regional Organisation until 1987, when he became Director of the St. William's Foundation in York, from which he retired recently and of which he is Vice-President.