Michael Barthorp was educated at Wellington College and was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade in 1946. Demobilised in 1948, he served as a Territorial with The Royal Hampshire Regiment before rejoining the Regular Army in The Northamptonshire Regiment to continue a family tradition, ending his career with the Royal Anglian Regiment in 1968. He has since published numerous books on the British Army history and costume, including nine titles for the Men-at-Arms series. He lives in Jersey, Channel Islands.