Autor/-in: RICHARD WILLIS

Richard is a "citizen historian" who stumbled on the little-known Battle of Soissonais and the Ourcq when doing some family history research into Sgt HB Bloor of 34th Battalion Machine Gun Corps, who had joined up underage at 16, a Sergeant at 18 and was mortally wounded during the battle. He has co-written several articles: one with Richard Fisher on action by the Machine Gun during the Battle of the Somme and another with David Retherford on intelligence failings during the German's Friedensturm offensive. Richard holds a PhD in strategy and organisational change from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne.