Stuart Heaver (stuartheaver.com), Kent born journalist, author and former naval officer will be delivering a talk on his new book, The Coal Black Sea

This exceptional book reveals the role of Winston Churchill in the worst naval catastrophe of the First World War and the impact it had on the families of Deal.

'On the morning of 22 September 1914, just six weeks into the First World War, three Royal Navy armoured cruisers were sunk by a German U-boat in the southern North Sea. The action lasted less than 90 minutes but the lives of 1,459 men and boys were lost – more than the British losses at the Battle of Trafalgar or in the sinking of RMS Lusitania. Yet, curiously, few have ever heard of the incident'.

Thursday 11th August at 6.30pm

Space is limited for this free event, please book on museum@dealmuseum.co.uk