Robert St John Smith is a First World War historian and a mature PhD student at the University of Exeter. His thesis examines the image of Tommy Atkins between 1896 and 1926, exploring both the military and cultural dimensions of the British soldier. His current research focuses on depictions of Tommy Atkins on stage, including the works of associated playwrights such as Arthur Shirley and Ben Landeck, as well as the touring company of Milton Bode.
Robert has delivered talks on topics such as trench journalism during the First World War and maintains robertstjohnsmith.com a website that blends military history with cultural insights.
(And if anyone can shed light on what on earth Tommy Atkins was doing in Cinderella during this time, that would be greatly appreciated!)