Plews, Derek A.: - Former Army officer, Lt Col Derek Plews VR worked as a journalist in Northern Ireland before joining the UK Civil Service as a press officer. A reservist, Plews left the civil service in 2006 to deploy to Afghanistan. He subsequently completed tours of duty in Iraq before taking up various appointments at the Ministry of Defence. Retiring in 2020, he wrote A Brilliant Little Victory, a history of the 48th (South Midland) Division in the First World War. He now divides his time between conducting historical research, visiting First World War battlefields, and volunteering with a local museum trust.