Ian Sumner was born in 1953 in Eccles, near Manchester. He originally trained as a librarian in Newcastle-upon-Tyne but is now a freelance author. His work for Osprey includes Elite titles on the British Navy 1939-45 and the Indian Army 1914-47; he has also written several books on the history of the East Riding of Yorkshire, where he now lives with his wife.

Mike Chappell spent 22 years in infantry soldiering, retiring in 1974 as RSM of the 1st Bn., The Wessex Regiment (Rifle Volunteers). Since beginning to paint military subjects in 1968 Mike has gained world-wide popularity as a military illustrator, and has been a prolific artist and author for Osprey for well over 20 years.
MIKE CHAPPELL comes from an Aldershot family with British Army connections stretching back several generations. He enlisted as a teenage private in the Royal Hampshire Regiment in 1952 and retired in 1974, as RSM of the 1st Battalion The Wessex Regiment (Rifle Volunteers), after seeing service in Malaya, Cyprus, Swaziland, Libya, Germany, Ulster and home garrisons. He began painting military subjects in 1968 and has gained worldwide popularity as a military illustrator. Mike has written and illustrated many books for Osprey.