Brian was once described as a global nomad. Born in New Zealand he left for England in his twenties, then was transferred to South Africa, back to England, then to the USA with a five-year stint in France before making aliyah with his wife, Judith in May 2018 to  Nahariya. His career in the Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical industries took him to many other countries where he was responsible for projects designing and installing manufacturing and packaging processes.

His interest in military history started when he was drafted into the New Zealand Army Reserves at the time of the Vietnam War and Malaysian conflict. His travels have taken him to most of the significant battlefields where New Zealand troops fought, from the Boer War to the Second World War.