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Peter Johnston

@peterajohnston.bsky.social

Director, Narrative and Content at Imperial War Museums. Military historian, museum professional, and frequent explorer of museums, memorials and battlefields. All views here are mine alone

2,523 Followers  |  661 Following  |  302 Posts  |  Joined: 02.10.2023  |  1.6839

Latest posts by peterajohnston.bsky.social on Bluesky

That's a strong early runner in the #MuseumsChristmasJumper cohort

10.10.2025 18:01 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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IWM In Conversation: Kavita Puri | The Second Map Forgotten histories of the Second World War: the Bengal Famine of 1943 and the war on the Asian FrontJoin journalist and broadcaster Kavita Puri and IWM's Director for Narrative and Content, Peter Joh...

A reminder for you all that tickets are still available for this excellent event at IWM London on 9 October, where the brilliant Kavita Puri will share insights and stories from her recent podcast series. Do join us if you can! #SWW www.iwm.org.uk/events/iwm-i...

06.10.2025 16:07 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

That Kildunne try was phenomenal, what a player

27.09.2025 15:13 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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I've a feeling we're not in Kansas (City) anymore...

25.09.2025 22:01 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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I'm in Kansas City, Missouri this week at the National World War I Museum and Memorial for the annual meeting of our First World War network. Lots of great tours and discussions to be had over the next couple days with colleagues working across all aspects of FWW history

23.09.2025 15:50 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Delta's finest

22.09.2025 20:16 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

An interesting article to a place I've never previously known about. Would be curious to see it in comparison to the Maginot Line and Ouvrage Hackenberg #SWW

edition.cnn.com/travel/ostwa...

18.09.2025 10:48 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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John Dundas flew IWM's R6915 Spitfire, and his and Hugh Dundas' medals and associated papers are in the IWM collection. We also have this photo (HU 141266) of the brothers taken at the house in Cawthorne in October 1940 while they were both on leave #SWW

16.09.2025 21:14 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Blue plaques unveiled in Barnsley for Battle of Britain brothers - BBC News Hugh and John Dundas are honoured with blue plaques at their childhood home in Cawthorne, Barnsley.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

16.09.2025 21:05 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Today in 1945 General Seishiro Itagaki surrendered to Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander in Southeast Asia, at the Municipal Building in Singapore. The Instrument of Surrender was photographed, and the pen used and a flag flown over the Padang are now in IWM's collection #SWW

12.09.2025 10:56 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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You know you've got a good seat for an airshow when you see this sign

06.09.2025 18:46 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Hands down the great Professor Michael Prestwich at Durham, and his module on sieges. Complete with scale models of trebuchets lobbing marbles and takes of being an expert witness in various legal cases after people were thrown from them

31.08.2025 12:57 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Just seen a trailer for the upcoming Nuremberg movie, with Russell Crowe and Remi Malek #SWW

youtu.be/76N-wgzj8vs?...

29.08.2025 19:26 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks for sharing that, powerful viewing. The veteran of the desert and NW Europe, and who just brushed it off, but had come with his mate to help him

27.08.2025 20:29 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

A reminder that on 9 September I'll be hosting an In Conversation event with Kavita Puri at IWM London, hearing all about the making of her recent BBC Sounds podcast, The Second Map, and memory and forgetting in the SWW. Tickets available here:

www.iwm.org.uk/events/iwm-i....

27.08.2025 09:45 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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The Second Map - VJ Day podcast to air never-before-heard archival recordings and new testimonies from last remaining veterans Meet presenter Kavita Puri and some of the contributors from The History Podcast: The Second Map as they explore World War Two’s forgotten front

If you haven't heard The Second Map yet, the new The History Podcast on BBC Sounds, I highly recommend it. And not just because I'm in it #SWW www.bbc.com/mediacentre/...

17.08.2025 20:54 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Apprentice Archivist - IWM Title: Apprentice Archivist. Location: IWM London. Application Deadline: 01/09/2025, 09:00

We're currently recruiting an Apprentice Archivist in my brigade at IWM. It's a great role that will work across our Documents collection, a treasure trove of stories and secrets. If you're interested in forging a career as an archivist, this could be for you:
share.google/3s2r85OOjAdb...

17.08.2025 07:31 β€” πŸ‘ 20    πŸ” 20    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 2

We recently sold on my children's Paw Patrol gear, including a Landing Ship (Tank), an Osprey VTOL, a Forward Operating Base, UAVs, and numerous mechanised infantry. That a private military contractor can dominate Adventure Bay is a sad indictment of our times

15.08.2025 19:09 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

In 1982, the residents of the Falklands also insisted on continuing to drive on the left despite the Argentines attempting to make everyone drive on the right

14.08.2025 15:16 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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London museum tells forgotten story of African and Indian troops in second world war National Army Museum’s Beyond Burma exhibition examines stories of soldiers from Britain’s colonies

Great coverage for the old gaff. Will make sure to see his exhibition when it opens! #SWW
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

14.08.2025 06:43 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
HMS Belfast in Sydney, August 1945

HMS Belfast in Sydney, August 1945

Did you know that our very own HMS Belfast was on her way to East Asia to assist in the war effort 80 years ago this week?

On VJ Day she had reached the coast of Australia. The ship continued on to Japan to help find and bring British POWs and civilian internees back home.

Image: IWM (ABS 694)

13.08.2025 11:05 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Upping this on the back of Kavita's article in the @theobserveruk.bsky.social over the weekend:
observer.co.uk/news/opinion...

11.08.2025 08:51 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Bit strange they left the information on the yosegaki hinomaru so vague in that section, and didn't explain what it was or its cultural significance #AntiquesRoadshow #VJDay80

10.08.2025 20:03 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

England won't be able to be this wasteful against the Black Ferns or the Bokke #RedRoses

09.08.2025 19:49 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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IWM In Conversation: Kavita Puri | The Second Map Join journalist and broadcaster Kavita Puri and IWM's Director for Narrative and Content, Peter Johnston, as they discuss the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, which is the focus of a new BBC documentary se...

On 9 September I'll be interviewing the brilliant Kavita Puri about her new BBC podcast, The Second Map. Come hear Kavita reflect on the SWW in SE Asia, remembering and forgetting, and how to find new stories and ways to look at these seismic events. Details here: www.iwm.org.uk/events/iwm-i...

08.08.2025 15:42 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

I do enjoy a bit of cap badge iconography

02.08.2025 18:18 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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When you gotta espionage all day but you missed breakfast

01.08.2025 13:54 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Yo ho for the robbers, the cops and the robbers. Yo ho! #AllanAhlberg

31.07.2025 17:09 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Much obliged! And for the repost too

19.07.2025 08:16 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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A very exciting moment for me today when I spotted this in the wild, perching on the shelves of Waterstones on Gower Street

18.07.2025 16:46 β€” πŸ‘ 28    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

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