David Crane has every bit as much credibility as a historian as has Max Hastings
He has written extensively on historical subjects - noticeably not included in your list.
He read history and English at Oxford University before becoming a lecturer at universities in the Netherlands, Japan, and Africa.
His highly commended work on locating and researching war graves makes him a hands on expert on the subject rather than a desk-bound one - though, unfortunately, he didn't make the Fascist bumwipe, the Daily Mail, which disqualifies him being a "real historian" by your criterion.
I apologise for mistaking his war record - you can't win them all (but at least it gives you a chance to ease up on the typos as a substitute for argument).
Jim Carroll