William Philpott

Professor William Philpott holds the title of Professor of the History of Warfare at King's College London's Department of War Studies, part of the School of Security Studies. He co-directs the SSS research theme in military and political history. His affiliations include the British Commission for Military History (President), National Army Museum (Councillor), Army Records Society (Honorary Secretary), and University of London’s Military Education Committee (Chair). He leads the First World War Operations Research Group ('Coal Hole Club').

His research focuses on early 20th-century military and international history, particularly France and Britain’s roles in the First World War. Key interests include strategic and operational history, Anglo-French relations, and the legacy of WWI. He supervises PhD students in areas like WWI tactical theory, military intelligence, and post-war military morale.

Publications include Attrition: Fighting the First World War (2014), which received critical acclaim and awards. His articles explore topics like the Somme campaign, Franco-British military coordination, and memory studies of WWI. He has held editorial roles for British Journal for Military History and contributed to major historical projects like the Palgrave monograph series.

• Awards: Templer Medal (2009), Norman B. Tomlinson Jr Award (2010)
• Grants: Led projects on Franco-British defense cooperation (2012–2015) and WWI attrition studies (2012)
• Events: Organized conferences on historiography and crisis response strategies

His work bridges academic research with public engagement, including lectures on military historiography and collaborative research initiatives.