Book Launch – The Untold Story of the VSC

We would like to invite all members to this exciting event!

The Victory Services Club is delighted to announce the upcoming launch of a compelling new book tracing the Club’s origins and its extraordinary journey from 1907 to 1957, entitled A Palace for Veterans.

Authored by Simon Spence OBE — a former RAF Group Captain and previously part of the VSC Senior Management Team — this meticulously researched book chronicles the defining moments of the Club’s first fifty years after formation.

Drawing from personal letters, archival reports and firsthand accounts, A Palace for Veterans paints a vivid picture of how the Club emerged during a time of national hardship to become a home-from-home for servicemen and women. The book captures this transformation in the following words:

   “When British soldiers returned in 1902 from the Second Boer War,
those with no employment or place to live were on their own. They
had served and risked their lives for their country but were now
‘surplus to requirements’.

  “This injustice was recognised by a group of eminent individuals,
led by Major Arthur Haggard and his associate James Aratoon
Malcolm. These two men served the cause of demobilised service-
men from this point onwards until only their deaths, in 1925 and 1952
respectively, prevented them from continuing. Through two world wars
and the Great Depression they – and the many others who shared their
passion – created the Victory Services Club, offering invaluable
employment, welfare support and a place to meet old friends.

   “A Palace for Veterans is the inspiring story of how, through the most
difficult times imaginable, a Club was created from nothing and
ultimately thrived such that it now stands proudly in Marble Arch,
with over 60,000 members and a reputation second to none.”

From its humble beginnings through two World Wars and the Great Depression, the VSC is a story of compassion, resilience, and community.

We invite you to celebrate the release of A Palace for Veterans at our Special Book Launch event:

📅 Monday 7th July 2025
🕖 19:00 Start | Dress Code: Smart Casual
💷 £45.00 per person
🎟️ Includes: Welcome drink | Curry buffet | A signed copy of the book

Don’t miss this chance to meet the author, hear the story behind the story, and honour the legacy of the Club.

Find out more here: https://www.vsc.co.uk/events/vsc-book-launch-dinner/

To book, please go to the Members Area on our website, call the Membership team on 0207 616 8312 or email mem@vsc.co.uk

We look forward to welcoming as many members as possible to this event!