I am a public historian, podcaster, tour guide candidate and aspiring academic with a curiosity in combatant morale in 20th-century conflicts and how societies, contexts, organisational cultures and personal experiences shape the motivation of people to fight in armed conflicts.
I also have an interest in the Great War and in particular the service of my grandfather’s unit, the 1/13 Battalion, London Regiment (Kensingtons). I have presented at numerous conferences and have published a number of academic works.
Currently, I am a currently a trustee of the Western Front Association (WFA) leading on press and media relations and am Secretary of the Antrim and Down WFA branch.
I am also the host, editor and executive producer of two podcasts; the WFA’s weekly podcast Mentioned in Dispatches, that examines all aspects of the First World War, and also a new podcast called the Combat Morale Podcast that aims to explore what makes combatants fight (or not) in armed conflict (this is currently under development).
Combined with this, I am a member of the British Commission for Military History and the Irish Military History Society and an irregular media pundit on LBC radio and Sky News TV channel, commenting on contemporary security issues and military history.
Lastly, I am currently undertaking the Northern Ireland Tourist Guide Association’s Green Badge course to be an accredited tour guide in Belfast.
Biography
Originally from London, I grew up in the Shropshire Marches from the mid-1970s and until 1988 when I returned to the capital to read History at King’s College London (KCL). I remained at KCL, completing a MA in Warstudies in 1993. I then embarked on a career as a communications and public affairs professional working initially as a Parliamentary researcher. After four years in the NHS, I became a public affairs and communications specialist in the health and social care sector. My positions included being a special adviser, stakeholder manager, speechwriter and lobbyist in a range of private, public and voluntary organisations. I became a member of the Chartered Institute for Public Relations in 2009. In 2013, I started a change in career moving away from public relations and policy development to explore becoming a public historian.
You can contact me via this form.