A FATHER'S A WAR, A SON'S FASCINATION, AND THE MEMORIES THAT DEFINE OUR NATION

‘HEARTFELT AND PERSONAL’ Soldier Magazine


Follow military memorabilia and medal specialist Mark Smith in his enthralling journey to tell the story of his own father's war


Sunday evenings wouldn't be the same without Mark Smith on Antiques Roadshow.

Seeing beyond the military memorabilia shared by members of the public to the often deeply moving human stories at their heart, Mark brings the past vividly to life for millions at home and has become something of a national treasure.

Historian, battlefield tour guide, expert on the Victoria Cross and story-teller, Mark grew up within a close-knit, multi-generational family in Walthamstow, during a childhood steeped in history. His rare empathy for the experience and sacrifice of past generations was fostered by Mark's WWII veteran father, who shared stories of flying special operations for the RAF. But Smith Snr was also haunted by the loss of his best friend, Harry, on a secret mission over the Indian Ocean.

From the pages of his father’s unpublished wartime memoir, to a pilgrimage to a Chennai cemetery, here Mark takes us on his most personal journey, to try to bring closure to his father’s story.

Nostalgic and heartfelt, Medal Man is the true story of a bygone East London, of a father and son who were also best friends, and of the memories that still bind us to this Greatest Generation.

Mark Smith joined the Antiques Roadshow team in 2014 and quickly became a firm favourite with viewers. Like his father and grandfather, Mark Smith was born and bred in Walthamstow, East London. He started collecting British medals in 1969 and owns an extensive private collection that he has amassed over the years; a hobby which has become a life-long passion. He is a well-known expert on the Victoria Cross. He holds a degree in museum studies from UCL, is a Member of the Western Front Association and the Orders and Medals Research Society, he is also a well-known Battlefield Tour Guide.