Jonathan Latimer (1964 – 2009) was born in Prestatyn. A historian and writer his books include ‘Operation Compass 1940’ (Osprey, 2000), ‘Tobruk 1941’ (Osprey, 2001), ‘Deception in War’ (John Murray, 2001), ‘Alamein’ (John Murray, 2002), ‘Burma: The Forgotten War’ (John Murray, 2004) and ‘1812: War with America’ (Harvard University Press, 2007) which won a Distinguished Book Award from the Society for Military History and was shortlisted for the George Washington Book Prize. He studied for a geography degree at University College, Swansea but switched course to graduate in oceanography. He worked as an oceanographer until becoming a full-time writer in 1997. Latimer was an enthusiastic part-time soldier. Originally enlisting as a sapper in the Royal Monmouthshire (Militia), he was commissioned in 1986 into the 3rd Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers, Territorial Army. He spent periods attached to regular battalions in Northern Ireland (1989), Australia (1991–2) and as an intelligence officer (1992–3).
Books
- Operation Compass 1940: Wavell’s Whirlwind Offensive. Oxford: Osprey Military, 2000
- Deception in War. Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press, 2001
- Alamein. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2002
- Burma: The Forgotten War. London: John Murray, 2004
- Tobruk 1941: Rommel’s Opening Move. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2004
- 1812: War with America. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2007
- Buccaneers of the Caribbean: How Piracy Forged an Empire. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2009