Genealogists' Forum - We have branches everywhere!



Go Back   Genealogists' Forum - We have branches everywhere! > Research > Research Questions

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-04-14, 23:28
Phoenix's Avatar
Phoenix Phoenix is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,617
Default Fat Authors

Went to a talk about WW records, where we were told we could find Home Guard records if we knew the battalion.

I don't.

But, there was a fat and famous author in my father's battalion. When he got bored on exercises, he would declare himself wounded and be stretchered home. He was not liked.

I thought this was Leslie Chateris, but the official website states that he did not come to this country until the 1960s.

Can anyone suggest an author - I think writing pot-boiler thrillers - who would already be famous by WW2?
__________________
The chestnuts cast their flambeaux
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-04-14, 23:31
kiterunner's Avatar
kiterunner kiterunner is online now
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 25,270
Default

I was going to say Denis Wheatley, but Wikipedia says he was doing strategic stuff in WW2. Also he doesn't look very fat in his picture.
__________________
KiteRunner

Family History News updated 29th Feb
Findmypast 1871 census update
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-04-14, 23:34
Merry's Avatar
Merry Merry is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Near Christchurch, Dorset
Posts: 21,264
Default

Whereabouts was this happening? Norfolk??
__________________
Merry

"Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-04-14, 23:39
kiterunner's Avatar
kiterunner kiterunner is online now
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 25,270
Default

There are some names of famous people on this thread on another site but I don't think any quite fit your description:
http://walmington.proboards.com/thre...1#scrollTo=130
__________________
KiteRunner

Family History News updated 29th Feb
Findmypast 1871 census update
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-04-14, 23:45
Phoenix's Avatar
Phoenix Phoenix is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,617
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Merry View Post
Whereabouts was this happening? Norfolk??
Dad was at Imperial College, London and most of his exploits seem to have been in South Ken.

JB Priestley was probably the right weight, but I got the impression that this was a port-&-cigars chap who had a very cushy war.
__________________
The chestnuts cast their flambeaux
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-04-14, 08:14
Langley Vale Sue's Avatar
Langley Vale Sue Langley Vale Sue is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Langley Vale!
Posts: 826
Default

Found this - http://www.theunknownwarriors.co.uk/...ers/4531933181

George Orwell (Real name - Eric Arthur Blair) - (1903-1950) Author of 1984 and Animal Farm, he was born in India during the British Raj, then spent some time as a colonial policeman. During the war he was in the Home Guard in London and put two men from his unit in hospital after mishandling a mortar. After his home was ruined by a V1 bomb he rescued his favourite books and carted them off in a wheelbarrow


Edit - probably not him though. Looking at photos he was too thin!
__________________
"What you see depends on what you're looking for."

Sue at Langley Vale

Last edited by Langley Vale Sue; 04-04-14 at 08:18.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-04-14, 08:38
Shona's Avatar
Shona Shona is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Oop nerth and darn sarf
Posts: 3,026
Default

George Orwell was v thin - from the TB I think.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-04-14, 08:49
Merry's Avatar
Merry Merry is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Near Christchurch, Dorset
Posts: 21,264
Default

lol Sue - you have just helped me with my tree!

I don't know much about George Orwell, so looked at his Wikipedia page (mainly to check out what he looked like!). Read about his wives. Clicked to the wiki page for his first wife which mentioned one of her jobs was reading to Dame Elizabeth Cadbury. As I have an interest in chocolate () I clicked her page and saw she was the second wife of George Cadbury, chocolate manufacturer. Clicked his page and saw his first wife was one Mary Tylor, dau of Quaker author Charles Tylor. I have Quaker Tylors on my tree, but no authors as far as I knew, but had a look at my tree anyway. Turns out I do have Charles and his dau Mary on my tree, but just didn't know enough about them to realise they were the same people!! Now I have a lot to add and no time for looking for fat authors in Kensington! (sorry, Phoenix!!)
__________________
Merry

"Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-04-14, 13:28
Langley Vale Sue's Avatar
Langley Vale Sue Langley Vale Sue is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Langley Vale!
Posts: 826
Default

Glad to have helped someone at least Merry.
__________________
"What you see depends on what you're looking for."

Sue at Langley Vale
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-04-14, 19:49
Mary from Italy's Avatar
Mary from Italy Mary from Italy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: N. Italy
Posts: 3,727
Default

Evelyn Waugh? Not sure how fat he was in those days, but he was a famous author by then. From what I've read, he was quite enthusiastic about soldiering, though.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 23:08.


Hosted by Photon IT

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7 PL3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.