David can date his interest in the First World War to a specific event – the year was 1990 and he was persuaded to read First Day on the Somme by Martin Middlebrook. So impressed was he that upon finishing the book, he immediately read it again.

The following year, accompanied by his brother, he holidayed in France. This was the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, and although it was late July, the area around Albert was still awash with visitors.

Returning home, little realising the significance of his action, he looked at the war memorial in his local church in Ravensthorpe, near Dewsbury. This small action started a process of research into this memorial which culminated in 2000 in the publication of his book (A Village Goes to War). David undertook a Masters Degree at the University of Birmingham (2004-2006) which resulted in his dissertation 'Divisional Usage in the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front 1916-1918' which analysed the elitism (or otherwise) of British Divisions via a statistical approach to various factors.

David joined The Western Front Association in 1992, has been Treasurer and Deputy Chairman of the Yorkshire branch of the WFA since 2002 and became a trustee of the WFA in 2009. His wish is to strengthen the association to ensure it can continue its objectives for decades to come.