I became interested in the family tree having come into posession of numerous photographs, books and papers relating to my ancestors, primarily the BARKAS and HARBUTT line. I was also inspired by the life led by my father's cousin Geoffrey de Gruchy Barkas who won the Military Cross at the battle of the Somme in October 1916 and was in charge of the use of camouflage in North Africa which was in no small part responsible for the victory at El Alamein.