Gwyn Griffin (1922–1967) was an English novelist.

Life

Gwyn Griffin was born in

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...

, where his father was in the

Colonial Service The Colonial Service, also known as His/Her Majesty's Colonial Service and replaced in 1954 by Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service (HMOCS), was the British government service that administered most of Britain's overseas possessions, under the aut ...

, and was educated in England. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

he performed administrative duties in several

British colonies A Crown colony or royal colony was a colony administered by The Crown within the British Empire. There was usually a Governor, appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the UK Government, with or without the assistance of a local Coun ...

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

. These included service as a cipher clerk to Major Orde Wingate in

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

and later as adjutant to

Prince Makonnen Prince Makonnen Haile Selassie, Duke of Harar ( baptismal name: ''Araya Yohannes''; 16 October 1924 – 13 May 1957) was the second son, and second-youngest child, of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Empress Menen Asfaw. He was made ' ...

, one of the sons of Emperor

Haile Selassie I Haile Selassie I ( gez, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, Qädamawi Häylä Səllasé, ; born Tafari Makonnen; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia ('' ...

, in the Sudan Defence Force. In 1946-47 he was an

Assistant Superintendent Assistant superintendent, or assistant superintendent of police (ASP), is a rank that was used by police forces in the British Empire and is still used in many police forces in the Commonwealth. It was usually the lowest rank that could be held b ...

in the Eritrean Police, and later worked as a port pilot in Assab. Imperfect eyesight prevented him from becoming an officer in the

British Merchant Navy The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom and comprises the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard ...

. In 1950 he married Patricia Dorman-Smith, a daughter of Sir

Reginald Dorman-Smith Colonel Sir Reginald Hugh Dorman-Smith, GBE (10 March 1899 – 20 March 1977) was an Anglo-Irish diplomat, soldier and politician in the British Empire. Early life and politics Dorman-Smith was educated at Harrow School and the Royal Milita ...

. The couple lived in Australia and the Canary Islands before settling in

Introdacqua Introdacqua is a ''comune'' and town in the Province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Introdacqua is part of Valle Peligna although it is set between Contra and S. Antonio Valleys. History The name Introdacqua, "Ndredacque" in loc ...

in the Abruzzo region of Italy. They had no children. Gwyn Griffin died of a bloodstream infection in October 1967, while being treated for a spinal disk problem.

Work

Although most of Griffin's books are set in former British colonies, ''Master of this Vessel'' and ''An Operational Necessity'' are sea stories and ''A Last Lamp Burning'' is set in

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

. Gwyn Griffin's books were well received by the public, and his storytelling ability was particularly noted in reviews of his work. In 1965 he was awarded a Putnam Award for ''A Last Lamp Burning''. His final novel, ''An Operational Necessity'', was based on the Peleus Incident, the only documented case in World War II in which a U-boat machine-gunned survivors in the water. It was a

Book of the Month Club Book of the Month (founded 1926) is a United States subscription-based e-commerce service that offers a selection of five to seven new hardcover books each month to its members. Books are selected and endorsed by a panel of judges, and members ...

selection and at the time of his death was on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list. It was reissued in 1999 by the

Harvill Press Harvill Secker is a British publishing company formed in 2005 from the merger of Secker & Warburg and the Harvill Press. History Secker & Warburg Secker & Warburg was formed in 1935 from a takeover of Martin Secker, which was in receivership, ...

Books by Gwyn Griffin

*''The Occupying Power'' – 1956 *''By the North Gate'' – 1958 *''Something of an Achievement'' – 1960 *''Master of This Vessel'' (published in England as ''Shipmaster'') – 1961 *''A Significant Experience'' – 1963 *''Freedom Observed'' – 1963 *''Sons of God'' – 1964 *''A Scorpion on a Stone'' – 1965 *''A Last Lamp Burning'' – 1966 *''An Operational Necessity'' – 1967

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffin, Gwyn 1922 births 1967 deaths 20th-century English novelists English male novelists 20th-century English male writers British expatriates in Egypt