Matthew Holden | Military Research Specialist
Military Research Specialist | Published Author | Veteran Battlefield Guide
The Researcher Bio
Matthew Holden is a leading authority on British military history and genealogy. With experience at the Imperial War Museum, the D-Day Story and Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum. A career dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of military heritage, he bridges the gap between archival records and the physical reality of the battlefield.
A published author and prolific researcher, Matthew has published several definitive books on military history and has worked directly with the British Army to produce official battlefield guides. His expertise is rooted in a forensic approach to primary source research, with a specialized focus on the administrative evolution of British Army record-keeping and the complex internal numbering systems used to track personnel throughout the 20th century.
Beyond the archives, Matthew is a veteran battlefield guide, having led tours across the globe, from the valleys of South Korea to the trenches of the Western Front. This "boots on the ground" experience allows him to provide a unique, forensic perspective on military records that few other researchers can offer.
Areas of Expertise
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Administrative Record Reconstruction: Navigating and interpreting the complex paperwork and evolving identification systems of the British Army.
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Forensic Historical Research: Using primary source documents to reconstruct unit movements and individual service timelines.
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Battlefield Interpretation: Correlating archival data with geographical terrain across 20th-century conflict zones.
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Museum Leadership & Curation: Many years of experience in the professional management of military heritage and material culture.
Recent Publications
Final Roll Call- By Matthew A Holden and Jack Russell MBE. Available here
Defense of the Dunkirk Pocket- Battlefield study from Cassel to Calais (British Army)
The Gloucestershire Regiment- Battle Honours (due to be published in June 2026)
Recent talks
Matthew Holden regularly delivers talks for museums, military organisations, and historical institutions across the UK.
