A HISTORY buff and author, whose next work seeks to gather stories from the First World War battlefield of Mametz, has reached out to anyone in Barry who may be able to help.

Barry man Dr Jonathan Hicks has penned several factual books about the First and Second World Wars, including "Barry and the Second World War", and also two works of fiction The Dead of Mametz and Demons Walk Among Us.

The Dead of Mametz centres on Welsh soldiers poised to begin their assault on the impregnable German-held Mametz Wood, a battle that Jonathan is now making the subject of a factual work.

The gruelling five day battle in July 1916 saw Welsh soldiers pitted against the forces of the Prussian Army in a square mile of forest, a battle at the end of which 4,000 Allied troops lay dead.

Part of the inspiration for focusing on this particular battle, Jonathan said, is how the Welsh soldiers have never really received the credit they deserve for seizing the wood against horrendous odds.

"People remember the first week of the battle of the Somme but forget the second week," he said. "Outside of Wales people don't realise what the three Welsh units did.

"This was Lloyd George's army, a volunteer army in a spooky and morose wood, up against the Prussian guard.

"They did fantastically well and have never really got the credit for it."

Jonathan, who is headteacher at St Cyres School, Penarth, is hoping to have his book ready for the centenary of Mametz in 2016, and needs anyone with a connection to the battle to help him out.

He said he would like to hear from anyone whose relatives may have fought in Mametz, as well as anyone with artifacts, photographs, diaries, letters or anything else that may be of help.

Dr Jonathan Hicks can be contacted via email at ninian27@btinternet.com or by telephone on 07708 255295.