THE RIFLE: Author Event & Book Signing with FOUR WW2 Veterans - Sunday 12th October
Join us at the Steventon Gallery where we will host FOUR WW2 Veterans, including Lester Schrenk (U.S. Eighth Air Force) and three British WW2 Veterans. Leading the event will be Andrew Biggio, author of ‘The Rifle’ and ‘The Rifle II’ with a talk and book signing!
Meet author Andrew Biggio, and hear first hand about the famous Rifle!
‘The Rifle’ and its 2023 follow-up, is the inspirational story and hero’s journey of a 28-year-old U.S. Marine, Andrew Biggio, who returned home from combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, full of questions about the price of war. He found answers from those who survived the costliest war of all - WWII veterans.
It began when Biggio bought a 1945 M1 Garand Rifle, the most common rifle used in WWII, to honor his great uncle, a U.S. Army soldier who died on the hills of the Italian countryside. When Biggio showed the gun to his neighbor, WWII veteran Corporal Joseph Drago, it unlocked memories Drago had kept unspoken for 50 years. On the spur of the moment, Biggio asked Drago to sign the rifle. Thus began this Marine’s mission to find as many WWII veterans as he could, get their signatures on the rifle, and document their stories.
For nearly a decade, Biggio has travelled across the States to interview America’s last-living WWII veterans. Each time he put the M1 Garand Rifle in their hands, their eyes lit up with memories triggered by holding the weapon that had been with them every step of the war. With each visit and every story told to Biggio, the veterans signed their names to the rifle.
Book signing starts at 10:30am, followed by a talk and Q&A with Andrew
** Your ticket includes full access to the book signing with Andrew Biggio and our WW2 Veteran guests, a talk and Q&A with Andrew Biggio, as well as complimentary drinks and refreshments throughout the day. **
Please note: The signing of The Rifle and The Rifle 2 will take priority over any other personal items brought along. The welfare of our Veteran guests is our prime concern. We will offer additional signing opportunities if time permits - please ask for details.
Our special guests include…
Sergeant LESTER SCHRENK - was born on a farm in Long Prairie, Minnesota, on 16 November 1923. One of three children, he grew up on the farm. Les enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in November 1942. After completing Basic Training, Les was trained as a ball turret gunner on B-17 Flying Fortress four-engine heavy bombers. By early 1944, Les was flying missions from England with the 327th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, part of the 8th Air Force. On 22 February 1944, during a mission to Germany, Les' B-17 was shot down over German-occupied Denmark, and he was captured. After interrogation at the central Dulag Luft facility, Les spent time in Stalag Luft VI Heydekrug and Stalag Luft IV Gross Tychow. When The Germans evacuated Luft IV on 6 February 1945, more than eight thousand POWs were marched out in groups, towards Germany. For Les, this meant eighty-six days on the road before being liberated by advancing British troops on 2 May 1945. With other liberated men, Les was evacuated to France, then to the United States. He spent some time recovering from his POW ordeal before being discharged later in 1945. Again a civilian, Les returned to Minnesota, was married in 1948 (wife Bernice), and remained a resident of Long Prairie.
Flight Lieutenant GEORGE DUNN DFC MiD - after training as a Pilot, George flew Halifaxes with 76 Sqn on bombing raids over Germany. His missions included the V1 and V2 rocket factory and testing site at Peenemunde and after completing 30 operations he converted to fly Mosquitos. Volunteering for the Pathfinder Force he joined 608 Sqn and flew a further 14 missions, all of them to Berlin. George Dunn has co-written a book, titled ‘Resolute – To war with Bomber Command’, in conjunction with his wartime flight engineer Ferris Newton DFM, and historian and author Steve Darlow.
Signalman HENRY RICE R.N. Ld'H - served on HMS Eastway, a floating dry dock ship, arriving off Juno Beach, five days into the Allied Invasion of Europe in 1944. His ship ferried essential men and equipment to Normandy, for the resupply operational phase of the Overlord offensive. Henry made further Normandy trips carrying supplies and troops. After the D-Day operations, Henry's Ship went to Malta for 12 weeks, then sailed to the Persian Gulf. After the Gulf he went to Ceylon, Rangoon and finally finished the war in Singapore. He was repatriated aboard HMS Formidable to the UK and finished his Royal Navy service in 1946.
Reserve your copies of The Rife & The Rifle 2 HERE to have signed on the day!
There will be an extremely LIMITED number of copies of Andrew's books available on the day - so to avoid disappointment, please pre-order your copy ahead of time.
If you're unable to attend the event personally, we can facilitate the signing on your behalf, at which point your book(s) will be shipped after the event from Monday 13th October - signing fee + postage costs will be calculated at checkout.
Schedule of events:
10:00 - Gallery opens to ticket holders
10:30 - Book signing with Andrew Biggio & WW2 veterans
12:30 - Talk and Q&A
📍Skyfall, Church Lane, Steventon, Oxfordshire, OX13 6SN
For further enquiries please don't hesitate to CONTACT US and we'll be delighted to help.
