Richard Twynam
Managing Director
Richard has enjoyed a lifelong career in the travel industry and has led businesses across airlines, cruise lines, tour operators and educational travel. As a father of two young children my wife and I passionately believe in the transformative nature of travel and its ability to educate and remove barriers and prejudice. Richard is very well travelled and has visited over 75 countries and 6 of the 7 continents.
rtwynam@theculturalexperience.com
Q&A with Richard
Who would you regard as the greatest military commander of all time?
Sun Tzu and his great work the Art of War remains one of the most influential works on strategy of all time shaping both Asian and Western military thinking and more recently it is taught to help business strategy as well.
What is your favourite battlefield and why?
I have to be honest I haven’t visited many, but visiting Pearl Harbor in the early 1990’s is something I will never forget.
What piece of weaponry has been the most influential on the battlefield throughout history?
The Spitfire.
What is the best book on military history you have ever read?
Bernard Cornwells account of Waterloo
What is the most memorable event that has ever happened to you on a tour?
Standing in the American Cemetary in Normandy and observing the veterans and their families is an incredibly moving experience.
What do you regard as the greatest mistake a military commander has ever made?
Rommel’s decision to travel back to Germany and miss D Day.
What is your favourite military anecdote?
My Uncle served as radio operator on Blenheims flying with a Canadian crew in WW2. He was shot down and as he fell through the night sky over Holland his parachute failed. His Canadian rear gunner friend remarked how he saw this Brit invent freefall. My uncle managed to turn his parachute around as he was falling and undo the studs and release his chute by hand just in time to watch his plane go down. Once he hit the ground he was quickly captured and spend the rest of the war in a POW camp in Germany.
What do you consider as the greatest military quotation?
Anything by Churchill.
What is your favourite historical film?
Too many to mention but I think A Beautiful Mind and The Imitation Game are outstandingly good.
What do you consider as the greatest military myth that requires 'de-bunking'?
My young son keeps reminding me how important Stalingrad was in WW2.
