R. P. Dunn-Pattison

Richard Phillipson Dunn-Pattison was a British soldier and historian, born in 1874 and killed in action on March 8, 1916, during the First World War. He is best remembered for writing military history, especially on the Napoleonic era, and published Napoleon’s Marshals in 1909.

He also had an academic side: contemporary book records describe him as an M.A. and a former lecturer at Magdalen College, Oxford. That mix of scholarship and service gives his writing a practical, grounded tone that still appeals to readers interested in campaigns, commanders, and the personalities behind famous wars.

Because he died relatively young and seems to have left only a small public record, many personal details are hard to confirm from widely available sources. What does stand out clearly is the combination of active military service and serious historical writing, which makes him an especially interesting voice in early 20th-century military literature.