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The Daily Telegraph Second Book Of Obituaries: Heroes and Adventurers
From the front endpaper:
“As The Economist noted: “All regular readers of obituaries will have their favourites, but for a large number the art must seem to reach its zenith in the 'Telegraph’s' obituaries of long-lived military figures, which combine a 'Boy’s Own' paper zest for a rattling good story with an exquisite precision in Army lore and vocabulary …”
“Rich in humour and derring-do, this book embraces paladins from the Resistance and the Special Forces, as well as from the Army, the Royal Navy and the RAF. It will delight all who appreciate a rollicking yarn.”
“As The Economist noted: “All regular readers of obituaries will have their favourites, but for a large number the art must seem to reach its zenith in the 'Telegraph’s' obituaries of long-lived military figures, which combine a 'Boy’s Own' paper zest for a rattling good story with an exquisite precision in Army lore and vocabulary …”
“Rich in humour and derring-do, this book embraces paladins from the Resistance and the Special Forces, as well as from the Army, the Royal Navy and the RAF. It will delight all who appreciate a rollicking yarn.”
- GenresHistoryNonfictionHumor
359 pages, Hardcover
First published November 8, 1996
About the author
Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd
33 books2 followersHugh Montgomery-Massingberd, also known as Hugh Massingberd, was an English obituarist, journalist, and genealogist.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 17, 2014
This book is packed with rattling readable accounts of remarkable lives. The majority of the obits published here are of those whose lives were turned upside down by War (for some that meant two World Wars). There is something utterly compellingly fascinating about the sheer curiosity of some of the wonderful recollections within these pages; so very many who rose to inspire those they worked alongside, commanded, directed, and yet served.
The obituary of Rory Moore, a member of the Imperial Camel Corps between 1916 and 1918 mentions to Moore’s clear sighted consternation upon discovering inaccuracies in T.E. Lawrence’s book, ”The Seven Pillars of Wisdom”; leading him to challenge the veracity of David Lean’s film, “Lawrence of Arabia”.
Xan Fielding, friend of Patrick Leigh Fermor, and SOE agent in Crete during WW2 is remembered in these pages (193-201; & by PLF alone on pages 198-201).
The King Edward potato was introduced by the grandfather of the test pilot Tom “Brookie” Brooke-Smith.
Charles Fraser-Smith, the real-life model for ‘Q’ (in the James Bond books); is described during WW2 as having been, “offended by Ian Fleming’s amateurism. He had sent golf balls with a compass inside to prisoners in Germany; the tricked-up golf balls in ‘Diamonds Are Forever’, by contrast, would not even have bounced.”
The obit. of George Ives, the last surviving soldier of the Boer War; scarred by Boer bullet, yet living on to until the great age of 111, is particularly touching because his was such a very ordinary life. He “remained critical of his childrens generation, complaining that youngsters in their eighties and nineties were apt to let themselves go.” Plus ça change!
The obits within this book are not limited to men; very many remarkable women are honoured too. At around the half-way point the thought occurred to me that most of those recalled in the pages of this book had been married more than once; and not always through widow /widower-hood. We rarely talk about the intense mental stresses born of War which bring out the very best, the very worst, and the very middling of all. This book is a portable and inspiring celebration of mankind at his/her very best.
The obituary of Rory Moore, a member of the Imperial Camel Corps between 1916 and 1918 mentions to Moore’s clear sighted consternation upon discovering inaccuracies in T.E. Lawrence’s book, ”The Seven Pillars of Wisdom”; leading him to challenge the veracity of David Lean’s film, “Lawrence of Arabia”.
Xan Fielding, friend of Patrick Leigh Fermor, and SOE agent in Crete during WW2 is remembered in these pages (193-201; & by PLF alone on pages 198-201).
The King Edward potato was introduced by the grandfather of the test pilot Tom “Brookie” Brooke-Smith.
Charles Fraser-Smith, the real-life model for ‘Q’ (in the James Bond books); is described during WW2 as having been, “offended by Ian Fleming’s amateurism. He had sent golf balls with a compass inside to prisoners in Germany; the tricked-up golf balls in ‘Diamonds Are Forever’, by contrast, would not even have bounced.”
The obit. of George Ives, the last surviving soldier of the Boer War; scarred by Boer bullet, yet living on to until the great age of 111, is particularly touching because his was such a very ordinary life. He “remained critical of his childrens generation, complaining that youngsters in their eighties and nineties were apt to let themselves go.” Plus ça change!
The obits within this book are not limited to men; very many remarkable women are honoured too. At around the half-way point the thought occurred to me that most of those recalled in the pages of this book had been married more than once; and not always through widow /widower-hood. We rarely talk about the intense mental stresses born of War which bring out the very best, the very worst, and the very middling of all. This book is a portable and inspiring celebration of mankind at his/her very best.
January 16, 2021
Whether you are part of the target audience for this may depend on whether, like me, you had to Google ‘pig sticking’ or know it already because you’re landed gentry or you went to Sandhurst or ruled India for a bit. If in the latter camp, the continual unexplained acronyms (DAAQMG, anyone?) probably won’t bother you at all, but it did me.
Other than that, I’m reluctant to complain that it’s all a tad samey because... well, what do you expect from an anthology of themed obituaries?
Other than that, I’m reluctant to complain that it’s all a tad samey because... well, what do you expect from an anthology of themed obituaries?
October 2, 2022
Interesting lives but gets a bit repetitive if read straight through. Best to dip into it.
November 15, 2009
Ah, the very Brit are different from you and me; they have more . . . I don't know, adjectives? Great bathroom reading.
June 10, 2011
Good for people doing genealogy research.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews