SOLDIERS WHO WRITE AS WELL AS FIGHT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19258, 20 December 1930, Page 31 (Supplement)

SOLDIERS WHO WRITE AS WELL AS FIGHT.

NOTABLE INSTANCES OF ARMS AND AUTHORSHIP. (By HORACE WYNDHAM.) Now that the war is over (or, at any rate, the principal one), army officers as a class seem to be beating their sword blades into pen nibs. The result is the appearance of books by soldiers of all ranks —from fieldmarshals to second-lieutenants —in the publisher's lists. Where the majority are concerned, the show is a very good one; and the combined output includes several volumes of real worth. Suspect Scribes. In tha ‘‘good old days” soldiers who emploved their pens for anything hut the filling up of Army forms and the compiling of official reports wore rather looked upon as suspect by the authorities. As a matter of fact, to indulge in authorship was held to be subversive of discipline. In this connection there is a story of the veteran Duke of Cambridge, who shook his head when the name of a certain, distinguished officer was suggested for a high appointment. “I'm sure there’s something against him,” he declared.- “Now, what is it? Oh I remember —the fellow once wrote a book!” . . Well, times have changed since the days of “the Duke,” and incursions into the realms of authorship no longer mean a black mark or a bar to advancement. Examples of literary activity were set by Lord Wolseley and Lord Roberts; and, where they led, a very large number of officers who are now Berving have followed. The ouput of present day military authors covers a wide field. Thus, in addition to history, travel, sports, and auto-biography and memoirs, it includes fiction, the drama, and even poetry. Sir lan Hamilton, for example, has written a volume of verse (entered iu the second-hand catalogues as “rare”); and everybody knows the novels of “lan Hay” (Major Berth, M.C.), and Captain Gilbert Frankau. The latter has also published his “collected poems” in two substantial volumes. . „ , _ r Distinguished Names. Conspicuous among military authors of the present day are Field-Marshal Sir William Robertson, Generals Sir Robert Baden-Powcll, Sir Cnarles Callwell, Sir George MaoMunu and Sir Georce Young husband, Colonel Sir Ernest Swinton. Major Cyril McNeil and Captain Geoffrey Moss. Winston Churchill, too, can certainly claim, to bo regarded aa a soldier -writer. « nce ]j ® has worn the uniform of the 4th Hussars, and seen a good deal ot active service. As quite a young man, he wrote a novel, “Savrola.. But this was not his first venture for he liad alreadv written the History of the Malakand Meld Force.” Of Ms later works, the best known are his biography of Lord Randolph Churchill, and his “The World Crisis, 191 a, each of which, is still being read. With the addition of ex temporary officers and “other ranks,” the list of soldier authors becomes a much longer (and also stronger) one. Thus, it would include such "big sellers as John Buchan, Gilbert Frankau, Compton Mackenzie, W. B. Maxwell and Valentine Williams, together with Stephen Graham, and C. IS. Montagu- War, however, el way's seems to bring out literary talent. Thus, although, they had written books before August, 1914 it was “Peter Jackson,” “The First Hundred Thousand” and “A Private in tho Guards” that really mado the names of Gilbert Frankau, “lan Hay” and Stephen Graham known to the big public they now command. “Further to the Above.” Some of the authors in the foregoing list are also playwrights of distinction. Thus, to “lan Hay” (Major Beith) the public are indebted for several pleasant comedies, as well as for the part authorship of a Drury Lane melodrama, and to “Sapper” (Major McNeile) for the thrills of “Dulldog Drummond.” Then, of course, A. A. Milne, who saw a lot of active service in France, is very well known in the world of the theatre; and Captain Harry Graham is responeiWe for the “lyrics” of half the musical comedies that are produced nowadays. “Further to the above” (as they say in all the best orderly room circles) two exrprivate soldiers have also achieved a very considerable distinction in stageland since they put down their rifles and took up their fountain pens. These ore Frederick Lonsdale and Edgar Wallace. The “best seller” among books by military men is probably one of which the general public have never heard. This is the “Manual of Infantry Drill.” It bears, howevpr, no authors name. Bur- anonymity is the rule where most of the War Office publications are concerned. Brigadier-General J. E. Edmonds. who is responsible for the “Official History of the War,” has had a good deal to do with a number of them. He also contributed an important section to the “Manual of Military Law.”