During my military career I served in a number of areas where the events that I describe in my books and historical articles have unfolded. They run the gamut from medieval sieges, battles of the First and Second World War, and to the subject of those who have experienced close encounters with unusual visitors. My perspective and conclusions on how the numerous conflicts in our history have unfolded are not necessarily the same as other historians. I base much of my commentary on what I have learned in military schools and experienced in the field. I have included a significant number of examples of successful and unsuccessful sieges and battles, to demonstrate conclusively that no matter how securely a fortress or defensive position is constructed and defended, eventually a good plan and a determined besieger can overcome it.
My aim in my most recent book, Siegecraft II, is to illustrate by examples, that the fall of the walls of Jericho c1406 BC and the crashing of passenger jets into the World Trade Centre on 11 September 2001, involved similar creative thinking that resulted in a successful outcome for the attacker. That event directly led to my deployment as a soldier to Kabul, Afghanistan and it had a profound effect on my family and me.
My military experiences in Sarajevo, Cyprus, Germany, and Colorado gave me a wider view on how to work in that environment. With many late-night duty shifts working with a multi-national team, there was often a bit of quiet time to speak with many people from a wide variety of countries, and of course, that had an effect on my writing. I hope you find something of interest here, and as with all history, the more it is shared, the more the story continues to grow. Good hunting to you.
Harold sends
