Victoria Cross: Adams, Murray and MacLean

ROBERT BELLEW ADAMS

Major (Brevet Lieutenant Colonel), Indian Staff Corps

Born: 26 July 1856, Murree, Punjab, India
Died: 13 February 1928, Inverness, Scotland


ALEXANDER EDWARD MURRAY, VISCOUNT FINCASTLE

Lieutenant, 16th Lancers

Born: 22 April 1871, Portland Place, London
Died: 29 January 1962, Sussex Place, West London

Joint Citation: During the fighting at Nawa Kili, in Upper Swat, on the 17th August, 1897, Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Adams proceeded with Lieutenants H. L. S. MacLean and Viscount Fincastle, and five men of the Guides, under a very heavy and close fire, to the rescue of Lieutenant R. T. Greaves, Lancashire Fusiliers, who was lying disabled by a bullet wound and surrounded by the enemy's swordsmen. In bringing him under cover he (Lieutenant Greaves) was struck by a bullet and killed - Lieutenant MacLean was mortally wounded - whilst the horses of Lieutenant-Colonel Adams and Lieutenant Viscount Fincastle were shot, as well as two troop horses.

-------

Lieutenant Hector Lachlan Stewart MacLean, Indian Staff Corps, on account of his gallant conduct as recorded above, would have been recommended to Her Majesty for the Victoria Cross had he survived.

(London Gazette Issue 26908 dated 9 Nov 1897, published 9 Nov 1897.)


HECTOR LACHLAN STEWART MACLEAN

Lieutenant, Indian Staff Corps

Born: 13 September 1870, Bannu, North West Frontier, India
Died: 17 August 1897, Upper Swat, India

Citation: The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the Decoration of the Victoria Cross being delivered to the representatives of the undermentioned Officers and men who fell in the performance of acts of valour, and with reference to whom it was notified in the London Gazette that they would have been recommended to Her late Majesty for the Victoria Cross had they survived:–
London Gazette, 9th November, 1897.
"Lieutenant Hector Lachlan Stewart MacLean, Indian Staff Corps, on account of his gallant conduct, would have been recommended to Her Majesty for the Victoria Cross had he survived. During the fighting at Nawa Kili, in Upper Swat, on the 17th August, 1897, Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Adams proceeded with Lieutenants H. L. S. MacLean and Viscount Fincastle, and five men of the Guides, under a very heavy and close fire, to the rescue of Lieutenant R. T. Greaves, Lancashire Fusiliers, who was lying disabled by a bullet wound and surrounded by the enemy's swordsmen. In bringing him under cover he (Lieutenant Greaves) was struck by a bullet and killed. Lieutenant MacLean was mortally wounded, whilst the horses of Lieutenant-Colonel Adams and Lieutenant Viscount Fincastle were shot, as well as two troop horses."

(London Gazette Issue 27986 dated 15 Jan 1907, published 15 Jan 1907.)


Note: The others who who received posthumous awards of the Victoria Cross with Lieutenant MacLean were Private Edward Spence, 42nd Regiment (for action in 1859); Ensign Everard A L Phillipps, 11th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry (1859); Lieutenant Teignmouth Melvill, 24th Foot (1879); Lieutenant Neville J A Coghill, 24th Foot (1879); and Trooper Frank W Baxter, Buluwayo Field Force (1897).

Medal of Honor: L. J. Sebille

LOUIS J SEBILLE

Major, US Air Force; 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 18th Fighter-Bomber Group, 5th Air Force

Born: 21 November 1915, Harbor Beach, Michigan
Died: 5 August 1950, near Hanchang, Korea

Citation: Maj. Sebille, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. During an attack on a camouflaged area [on 5 August 1950, near Hanchang, Korea,] containing a concentration of enemy troops, artillery, and armored vehicles, Maj. Sebille's F-51 aircraft was severely damaged by antiaircraft fire. Although fully cognizant of the short period he could remain airborne, he deliberately ignored the possibility of survival by abandoning the aircraft or by crash landing, and continued his attack against the enemy forces threatening the security of friendly ground troops. In his determination to inflict maximum damage upon the enemy, Maj. Sebille again exposed himself to the intense fire of enemy gun batteries and dived on the target to his death. The superior leadership, daring, and selfless devotion to duty which he displayed in the execution of an extremely dangerous mission were an inspiration to both his subordinates and superiors and reflect the highest credit upon himself, the U.S. Air Force, and the armed forces of the United Nations.

RIP: Maria de Jesus

Maria de Jesus-dos Santos
10 Sep 1893 – 2 Jan 2009

The oldest person in the world has died. ZUI this article (yes, it's written in Portuguese) from Público:

Maria de Jesus, a mulher mais velha do mundo, morreu hoje, aos 115 anos de idade. A idosa de aldeia do Corujo, no concelho de Tomar, tornou-se célebre em Novembro do ano passado, quando o Livro Guinness dos Recordes concluiu ser ela a pessoa mais idosa do planeta.

*******

Com a morte da norte-americana Edna Parker, a 26 de Novembro, a portuguesa tornou-se a mulher mais velha do mundo, uma atribuição que chegou numa altura em que se encontrava já bastante debilitada.

Nascida a 10 de Setembro de 1893, na aldeia de Urqueira (Ourém), Maria de Jesus viveu em três séculos diferentes, tendo assistido a grandes transformações no país e no mundo.

*******

Do casamento com José dos Santos, de quem ficou viúva aos 57 anos, teve seis filhos (três deles ainda vivos), dos quais tinha 11 netos, 16 bisnetos e três trinetos.

The Gerontology Research Group's list of living supercentenarians, which has not yet been updated to note Sra de Jesus's death, currently contains 92 people (83 females and 9 males), ranging from Sra de Jesus to Andresa Guerrero-Ortiz of Spain (born 30 Nov 1898). 114-year-old Gertrude Baines of California (born 6 Apr 1894) appears to now be the oldest living person.

More to follow, when I find a good article in English.

Update 2028 12 Jan: ZUI this article from AFP:

The world's oldest living person, Portuguese national Maria de Jesus, died Friday at the age of 115, the Lusa news agency reported.

Born September 10, 1893, Maria de Jesus became the world's oldest living person after the death of American Edna Parker on November 26, also aged 115.

*******

De Jesus was born in a poor area in Urquiera, close to Ourem in central Portugal. She started working in agriculture at the age of 12 and never went to school, remaining unable to write and read for her entire life.

After marrying [José dos Santos], she moved to the town of Corujo with her husband where she brought up her six children.

The GRG's list of living supercentenarians, which has not yet been updated to note Sra de Jesus's death, currently contains 91 people (82 females and 9 males), ranging from Mrs Baines (born 6 Apr 1894) to Sra Guerrero-Ortiz (born 30 Nov 1898).

Books for a good cause

The following letter comes from author Sara Lewis Holmes. Rather than write my own bit about it, I'm just going to be lazy and post her letter here.

Dear Friends,

My niece, Emily, has been battling cancer for over two years now. But that's not all she's been doing. She's modeled in a show for Flashes of Hope, raised money for Rainbow Hospital and starred in a video for Flying Horse Farms. I feel downright lazy next to her.

So here's what I'm doing: starting a library of camp and horse related books for Flying Horse Farms. Flying Horse Farms is a magical, transforming and fun camp for children with serious illnesses and their families. It's an Ohio based 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and working to become a member of Hole in the Wall Camps, the world's largest family of camps for children with serious illnesses. Watch the video!

I talked with the director, and he said that rather than one central library, he would love to have books available at several spots around the camp---the stables, the craft room, the main activity hall, the cabins, maybe even the dining hall.

The books would be...

For kids to read while they wait for their turn on a horse.
For kids who suddenly discover they love pottery or archery or fishing and want to know everything about it.
For kids to share and discuss a cool quote or an inspirational person during nightly reflection times.
For kids who need a fast idea for a drama skit, or a nature craft, or a easy recipe.
For kids who need to rest.
For kids who love to read.
For kids who are kids and want to be kids and must be kids even if a serious illness complicates their lives.

If you want to help, here are some suggestions:

- I've set up a wish list on Amazon. You can choose a book and donate it directly from there. The list is small now, but it will grow as the campers and counselors and the director add new requests to it.

- You may also buy from that list at your local independent bookstore and have them ship to the address below.

- You can blog about your favorite camp or horse related book. I'll round up those posts, plus forward them to the director and consult them in expanding the Wish List. (Little Willow already did this. Thanks, LW!) Feel free to copy this entire post or use the button I'm putting in my sidebar of my blog: Read*Write*Believe.

- If you're an author or illustrator or publisher or blogger with a camp or horse related book, you can donate directly to the camp, but please remember that the camp serves kids ages 7-15 and your donation should reflect the needs of the camp. (*See the list of activities below.) Please, in all cases: NEW, appropriate books. We don't want to overwhelm the staff with boxes of old books to sort. This is not a book drive, but the beginning of a special library.

Questions? Email me at: email@saralewisholmes.com

*Here's a list of activities at camp: Horses, Arts & Crafts, Painting, Woodworking, Pottery, Boating, Fishing, Swimming, Cooking, Ropes, Adventure (teambuilding), Nature, Sports & Games, Music, Drama

Fiction is also welcome, but at this time, we're concentrating on stories with horses in them. Once the camp is fully up and running, I'll add other fiction requests from the campers and counselors.

The address for donations:

Flying Horse Farms
225 Green Meadows Drive South, Suite A
Lewis Center, Ohio 43035

Website: Flying Horse Farms

To send directly from Amazon: wish list on Amazon

Watch the very short video about Flying Horse Farms. It's wonderful!

Emily and I are deeply grateful for your support.

Many thanks,
Sara Holmes

While you're at it, buy Sara's book (or at least get it from the library) - it's good. I'm really looking forward to her next one, which is coming out this fall.

Libraries need more books!

I love it when the local public library buys books I've recommended. I was eleven for fourteen last year:

Louisiana's Song, by Kerry Madden
Jessie's Mountain, by Kerry Madden
Letters from Rapunzel, by Sara Lewis Holmes
Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains, by Laurel Snyder
The Crossroads, by Chris Grabenstein
Dead Girl Walking, by Linda Joy Singleton
The Dust of 100 Dogs, by A S King
The Eyes of a King, by Catherine Banner
Everything You Want, by Barbara Shoup
Palace of Mirrors, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
A La Carte, by Tanita S Davis

The books I recommended that they didn't order were Inside the Slidy Diner, also by Laurel Snyder; Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris, by R L LaFevers; and Wish: Wishing Traditions Around the World, by Roseanne Thong.

Does your public library lack books you think it should have? Go in and have a talk with the librarians about ordering them - maybe it will work for you, too. (I've already started a list of books I'm going to recommend this year.)

Update 0904 30 Jan: Moved A La Carte from the "not purchased" to the "purchased" list. Ten for thirteen!

Update 0910 4 Feb: Forgot to include The Dust of 100 Dogs when I first wrote this post. (How, I don't know - it was the one I was most interested in reading.) Eleven for fourteen!

The Cybils: 2008 short lists

The lists of finalists for the 2008 Cybils (the Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards) were, as promised, released yesterday. The categories and finalists, with links to brief descriptions, are:

Easy Readers:
Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time, by James Howe
I Love My New Toy, by Mo Willems
I Will Surprise My Friend!, by Mo Willems
Maybelle Goes to Tea, by Katie Speck
Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig, by Kate Dicamillo

Fantasy & Science Fiction (Middle Grade):
Cabinet of Wonders, by Marie Rutkoski
Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
Lamplighter, by D M Cornish
Magic Thief, by Sarah Prineas
Savvy, by Ingrid Law

Fantasy & Science Fiction (Young Adult):
Airman, by Eoin Colfer
Curse Dark as Gold, by Elizabeth C Bunce
Explosionist, by Jenny Davidson
Graceling, by Kristin Cashore
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Wake, by Lisa McMann

Fiction Picture Books:
Abe Lincoln Crosses A Creek: A Tall Thin Tale (Introducing His Forgotten Frontier Friend), written by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by John Hendrix
The Big Bad Bunny, written by Franny Billingsley and illustrated by G Brian Karas
Chester's Back, written and illustrated by Melanie Watts
How to Heal a Broken Wing, written and illustrated by Bob Graham
Katie Loves the Kittens, written and illustrated by John Himmelman
The Sea Serpent and Me, written by Dashka Slater and illustrated by Catia Chien
A Visitor for Bear, written by Bonny Becker and illustrated by Kady Denton
Wabi Sabi, written by Mark Reibstein and illustrated by Ed Young

Graphic Novels (Middle Grade):
Chiggers, written and illustrated by Hope Larson
Into the Volcano, written and illustrated by Don Wood
Jellaby, vol. 1, written and illustrated by Kean Soo
Rapunzel's Revenge, written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, and illustrated by Nathan Hale
The Savage, written by David Almond and illustrated by Dave McKean
There's a Wolf at the Door: Five Classic Tales, written by Zoe Alley and illustrated by R W Alley

Graphic Novels (Young Adult):
Emiko Superstar, written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Steve Ralston
Kin: Good Neighbors, Book 1, written by Holly Black and illustrated by Ted Naifeh
Life Sucks, written by Jessica Abel and Gabe Soria, and illustrated by Warren Pleese
Skim, written and illustrated by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki
Three Shadows, written and illustrated by Cyril Pedrosa

Middle Grade Fiction:
Alvin Ho, by Lenore Look
Diamond Willow, by Helen Frost
Every Soul a Star, by Wendy Mass
The London Eye Mystery, by Siobhan Dowd
Shooting the Moon, by Frances O'Roark Dowell

Non-Fiction Middle Grade/Young Adult Books:
11 Planets: A New View of the Solar System, by David Aguilar
Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry, by Scott Reynolds Nelson
Body Drama: Real Girls, Real Bodies, Real Issues, Real Answers, by Nancy Amanda Redd
King George: What Was His Problem?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the American Revolution, by Steve Sheinkin
Lincoln Through the Lens, by Martin Sandler
Swords: An Artist's Devotion, written and illustrated by Ben Boos
We Are the Ship: The Story of the Negro League Baseball, written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson
The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir, by Cylin Busby and John Busby

Non-Fiction Picture Books:
Astronaut Handbook, written and illustrated by Meghan McCarthy
Duel! Burr and Hamilton's Deadly War of Words, written by Dennis Brindell Fradin and illustrated by Larry Day
Fabulous Fishes, written and illustrated by Susan Stockdale
Nic Bishop Frogs, written and illustrated by Nic Bishop
A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, written by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Wanda Gag: The Girl Who Lived to Draw, written and illustrated by Deborah Kogan Ray
Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa, written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter

Poetry:
America at War, illustrated by Stephen Alcorn and edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Honeybee, by Naomi Shihab Nye
Imaginary Menagerie: A Book of Curious Creatures, written by Julie Larios and illustrated by Julie Paschkis
More than Friends: Poems from Him and Her, by Sara Holbrook and Allan Wolf
On the Farm, by David Elliott and Holly Meade

Young Adult Fiction:
Audrey, Wait!, by Robin Benway
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, by E Lockhart
I know It's Over, by C K Kelly Martin
Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta
Sweethearts, by Sara Zarr
Ten Cents a Dance, by Christine Fletcher
Thaw, by Monica Roe

The pages linked to also include links to Amazon.com listings for each book. Further information can be found on the Cybils website.

The winners will be announced on 14 February.

As last year, none of the books I really liked were shortlisted. In fact, I haven't read a single one of these. Guess I'd better get started....

Carnegie Medal books

In addition to reading the Newbery Medal winners, I've started on the books which have been awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal - the British equivalent of the Newbery Medal, now awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP).

The medal was first awarded in 1937, for the best children's book of 1936, but there have been three years when no book was considered suitable, so there are only 69 winners thus far. In addition to the gold medal, the winner receives £500 worth of books to donate to a library of his/her/their choice.

Here's the list. (Dates marked in red indicate the six books I had already read before last year; dates in purple indicate the ones I've read since.)

1936: Pigeon Post, by Arthur Ransome
1937: The Family from One End Street, by Eve Garnett
1938: The Circus is Coming, by Noel Streatfield
1939: Radium Woman, by Eleanor Doorly
1940: Visitors from London, by Kitty Barne
1941: We Couldn't Leave Dinah, by Mary Treadgold
1942: The Little Grey Men, by 'BB' (D J Watkins-Pitchford)
1943: Prize withheld as no book considered suitable
1944: The Wind on the Moon, by Eric Linklater
1945: Prize withheld as no book considered suitable
1946: The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge
1947: Collected Stories for Children, Walter De La Mare
1948: Sea Change, by Richard Armstrong
1949: The Story of Your Home, by Agnes Allen
1950: The Lark on the Wing, by Elfrida Vipont Foulds
1951: The Woolpack, by Cynthia Harnett
1952: The Borrowers, by Mary Norton
1953: A Valley Grows Up, by Edward Osmond
1954: Knight Crusader, by Ronald Welch (Felton Ronald Oliver)
1955: The Little Bookroom, by Eleanor Farjeon
1956: The Last Battle, by C S Lewis
1957: A Grass Rope, by William Mayne
1958: Tom's Midnight Garden, by Philipa Pearce
1959: The Lantern Bearers, by Rosemary Sutcliff
1960: The Making of Man, by Dr I W Cornwall
1961: A Stranger at Green Knowe, by Lucy M Boston
1962: The Twelve and the Genii, by Pauline Clarke
1963: Time of Trial, by Hester Burton
1964: Nordy Bank, by Sheena Porter
1965: The Grange at High Force, by Philip Turner
1966: Prize withheld as no book considered suitable
1967: The Owl Service, by Alan Garner
1968: The Moon in the Cloud, by Rosemary Harris
1969: The Edge of the Cloud, by Kathleen Peyton
1970: The God Beneath the Sea, by Leon Garfield and Edward Blishen
1971: Josh, by Ivan Southall
1972: Watership Down, by Richard Adams
1973: The Ghost of Thomas Kempe, by Penelope Lively
1974: The Stronghold, by Mollie Hunter
1975: The Machine Gunners, by Robert Westall
1976: Thunder and Lightnings, by Jan Mark
1977: The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler, by Gene Kemp
1978: The Exeter Blitz, by David Rees
1979: Tulku, by Peter Dickinson
1980: City of Gold, by Peter Dickinson
1981: The Scarecrows, by Robert Westall
1982: The Haunting, by Margaret Mahy
1983: Handles, by Jan Mark
1984: The Changeover, by Margaret Mahy
1985: Storm, by Kevin Crossley-Holland
1986: Granny was a Buffer Girl, by Berlie Doherty
1987: The Ghost Drum, by Susan Price
1988: A Pack of Lies, by Geraldine McCaughrean
1989: Goggle-eyes, by Anne Fine
1990: Wolf, by Gillian Cross
1991: Dear Nobody, by Berlie Doherty
1992: Flour Babies, by Anne Fine
1993: Stone Cold, by Robert Swindells
1994: Whispers in the Graveyard, by Theresa Breslin
1995: Northern Lights, by Philip Pullman*
1996: Junk, by Melvin Burgess
1997: River Boy, by Tim Bowler
1998: Skellig, by David Almond
1999: Postcards From No Man's Land, by Aidan Chambers
2000: The Other Side of Truth, by Beverley Naidoo
2001: The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, by Terry Pratchett
2002: Ruby Holler, by Sharon Creech
2003: A Gathering Light, by Jennifer Donnelly
2004: Millions, by Frank Cottrell Boyce
2005: Tamar, by Mal Peet
2006: **
2007: Just in Case, by Meg Rosoff
2008: Here Lies Arthur, by Philip Reeve
2009: To be announced....

So the count now is thirteen down, 56 to go. Unfortunately, our local library system (Groton, Waterford and Mystic/Noank) only has a dozen or so of the ones I haven't read yet, so I'm going to have to make a lot of ILL requests....

Of the six books I read this last quarter, I liked Tamar the most - in fact, I'm listing it as the best book I read in 2008.

* His Dark Materials, Book 1. Published in the US as The Golden Compass.

** Up through the award for 2005, the winners were referred to by the year of publication. Beginning in 2007, the winners were referred to by the year the award was given, as with the American Newbery Medal. Thus there is no "2006 winner" of the Carnegie Medal. Tamar, the 2005 winner, was published in '05, and received the medal in '06. Just in Case, the 2007 winner, was published in '06 and received the award in '07.

Newbery Medal books

In March of '07, I took a look at a list of the 86 winners (now 87) of the John Newbery Medal, which is presented annually to the author of "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." I was somewhat shocked to discover that I had only read seven of the books. So I've been reading my way through the list, and here's the current status. (Dates in red are the ones I had read before I started my current programme; dates in purple are the ones I've read since I started.)

1922: The Story of Mankind, by Hendrik Willem van Loon
1923: The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, by Hugh Lofting
1924: The Dark Frigate, by Charles Hawes
1925: Tales from Silver Lands, by Charles Finger
1926: Shen of the Sea, by Arthur Bowie Chrisman
1927: Smoky, the Cowhorse, by Will James
1928: Gay Neck, the Story of a Pigeon, by Dhan Gopal Mukerji
1929: The Trumpeter of Krakow, by Eric P. Kelly
1930: Hitty, Her First Hundred Years, by Rachel Field
1931: The Cat Who Went to Heaven, by Elizabeth Coatsworth
1932: Waterless Mountain, by Laura Adams Armer
1933: Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze, by Elizabeth Lewis
1934: Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women, by Cornelia Meigs
1935: Dobry, by Monica Shannon
1936: Caddie Woodlawn, by Carol Ryrie Brink
1937: Roller Skates, by Ruth Sawyer
1938: The White Stag, by Kate Seredy
1939: Thimble Summer, by Elizabeth Enright
1940: Daniel Boone, by James Daugherty
1941: Call It Courage, by Armstrong Sperry
1942: The Matchlock Gun, by Walter Edmonds
1943: Adam of the Road, by Elizabeth Janet Gray
1944: Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes
1945: Rabbit Hill, by Robert Lawson
1946: Strawberry Girl, by Lois Lenski
1947: Miss Hickory, by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
1948: The Twenty-One Balloons, by William Pène du Bois
1949: King of the Wind, by Marguerite Henry
1950: The Door in the Wall, by Marguerite de Angeli
1951: Amos Fortune, Free Man, by Elizabeth Yates
1952: Ginger Pye, by Eleanor Estes
1953: Secret of the Andes, by Ann Nolan Clark
1954: ...And Now Miguel, by Joseph Krumgold
1955: The Wheel on the School, by Meindert DeJong
1956: Carry On, Mr Bowditch, by Jean Lee Latham
1957: Miracles on Maple Hill, by Virginia Sorensen
1958: Rifles for Watie, by Harold Keith
1959: The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare
1960: Onion John, by Joseph Krumgold
1961: Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O'Dell
1962: The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare
1963: A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle
1964: It's Like This, Cat, by Emily Neville
1965: Shadow of a Bull, by Maia Wojciechowska
1966: I, Juan de Pareja, by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino
1967: Up a Road Slowly, by Irene Hunt
1968: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler, by E L Konigsburg
1969: The High King, by Lloyd Alexander
1970: Sounder, by William H Armstrong
1971: The Summer of the Swans, by Betsy Byars
1972: Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, by Robert C O'Brien
1973: Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George
1974: The Slave Dancer, by Paula Fox
1975: M C Higgins, the Great, by Virginia Hamilton
1976: The Grey King, by Susan Cooper
1977: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred D Taylor
1978: Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
1979: The Westing Game, by Ellen Raskin
1980: A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-1832, by Joan W Blos
1981: Jacob Have I Loved, by Katherine Paterson
1982: A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers, by Nancy Willard
1983: Dicey's Song, by Cynthia Voigt
1984: Dear Mr Henshaw, by Beverly Cleary
1985: The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley
1986: Sarah, Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacLachlan
1987: The Whipping Boy, by Sid Fleischman
1988: Lincoln: A Photobiography, by Russell Freedman
1989: Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices, by Paul Fleischman
1990: Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
1991: Maniac Magee, by Jerry Spinelli
1992: Shiloh, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
1993: Missing May, by Cynthia Rylant
1994: The Giver, by Lois Lowry
1995: Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech
1996: The Midwife's Apprentice, by Karen Cushman
1997: The View from Saturday, by E L Konigsburg
1998: Out of the Dust, by Karen Hesse
1999: Holes, by Louis Sachar
2000: Bud, Not Buddy, by Christopher Paul Curtis
2001: A Year Down Yonder, by Richard Peck
2002: A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park
2003: Crispin: The Cross of Lead, by Avi
2004: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread, by Kate DiCamillo
2005: Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata
2006: Criss Cross, by Lynne Rae Perkins
2007: The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron, illustrated by Matt Phelan
2008: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village, by Laura Amy Schlitz
2009: To be announced....

So the count is now 70 down, 17 to go. Fortunately, the Groton library has all but four of the remaining books, and the other two libraries (Waterford and Mystic/Noank) in our library system have three of the others; Daniel Boone is the only one I'll have to ILL.

Of the seven I read this quarter, I'd have to say I enjoyed Carry On, Mr Bowditch the most.

And this year's winner should be announced in a couple of weeks....

Book list - 2008

Here's the complete list of books I read in 2008. My goal for the year was 208 books; I actually read 225 (plus one novella), so I exceeded the goal (which I met around 22 November) nicely.

An asterisk indicates a reread. Numbers refer to the order in which the books were read.

"Adult" Fiction (76 books)
4. Miss Clare Remembers - fiction, by Miss Read
5. His Majesty's Dragon - historical/fantasy, by Naomi Novik
9. Throne of Jade - historical/fantasy, by Naomi Novik
11. Wasteland of Flint - SF, by Thomas Harlan
13. Ice, Iron and Gold - SF, fantasy and AH (short stories), by S M Stirling
15. Wondrous Beginnings - SF (short stories), edited by Steven H Silver and Martin H Greenberg *
16. Night Train from Memphis - mystery, by Elizabeth Peters
17. The Wailing Wind - mystery, by Tony Hillerman *
18. Village Christmas - fiction, by Miss Read
19. Killoe - western, by Louis L'Amour *
20. Dance Hall of the Dead - mystery, by Tony Hillerman
21. The Fallen Man - mystery, by Tony Hillerman
22. Hunting Badger - mystery, by Tony Hillerman
23. The Gemini Contenders - thriller, by Robert Ludlum
24. The Harem of Aman Akbar - fantasy, by Elizabeth Scarborough
29. Voyage from Yesteryear - SF, by James P Hogan
32. Mairelon the Magician - historical/fantasy, by Patricia C Wrede *
34. The Dark Heart of Time - adventure, by Philip José Farmer
43. Betty Zane - historical fiction, by Zane Grey
44. The Perennial Boarder - mystery, by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
46. Diplomatic Corpse - mystery, by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
49. Callahan's Crosstime Saloon - SF, by Spider Robinson
50. The Alpine Advocate - mystery, by Mary Daheim
51. Spaceship Medic - SF, by Harry Harrison
54. Up the Line - time travel, by Robert Silverberg
55. Blandings Castle - humour, by P G Wodehouse
56. Edge of Time - SF, by David Grinnell (Donald A Wollheim) *
58. Uller Uprising - SF, by H Beam Piper *
59. Paths to Otherwhere - SF, by James P Hogan *
62. The Alpine Betrayal - mystery, by Mary Daheim
63. Silver Pigs - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
64. Shadows in Bronze - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
65. Venus in Copper - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
68. The Alpine Escape - mystery, by Mary Daheim
71. A Voice for Princess - fantasy, by John Morressy
73. Another Round at the Spaceport Bar - SF (short stories), edited by George H Scithers and Darrell Schweitzer
74. The Alpine Gamble - mystery, by Mary Daheim
76. "Winterfair Gifts" - SF, by Lois McMaster Bujold
77. The Iron Hand of Mars - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
80. Poseidon's Gold - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
84. Last Act in Palmyra - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
85. Eifelheim - SF, by Michael Flynn
86. Over the Gate - fiction, by Miss Read
90. Small Favor - urban fantasy, by Jim Butcher
91. In the Courts of the Crimson Kings - AH/SF, by S M Stirling
92. Illegal Aliens - SF, by Nick Pollotta and Phil Foglio
102. Quest Crosstime - SF, by Andre Norton *
114. The Mouse That Roared - fiction, by Leonard Wibberley *
126. Time to Depart - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
127. A Dying Light in Corduba - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
130. Three Hands in the Fountain - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
134. Two for the Lions - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
135. One Virgin Too Many - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
136. Hit Parade - thriller, by Lawrence Block
144. Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang - SF, by Kate Wilhelm
145. Ode to a Banker - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
147. A Body in the Bath House - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
148. The Fairacre Festival - fiction, by Miss Read
149. Crazy Time - SF, by Kate Wilhelm
150. Tyler's Row - fiction, by Miss Read
152. The Jupiter Myth - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
156. The Accusers - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
158. Scandal Takes a Holiday - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
160. See Delphi and Die - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
166. Saturnalia - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
170. Heavy Weather - humour, by P G Wodehouse
177. A Few Quick Ones - humour (short stories), by P G Wodehouse
179. The Blessing Way - mystery, by Tony Hillerman
184. The Code of the Woosters - humour, by P G Wodehouse
185. To Visit the Queen - fantasy, by Diane Duane
189. Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit - humour, by P G Wodehouse
200. Lucifer's Hammer - SF, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle *
205. Foundation - SF, by Isaac Asimov *
206. Master & Commander - historical fiction, by Patrick O'Brian
208. Torpedo Run - WWII fiction, by Douglas Reeman
214. Fire on the Waters - historical fiction, by David Poyer

Children's/YA Fiction (109)
3. Jacob Have I Loved - children's, by Katherine Paterson (Newbery Medal, 1981)
6. Among the Hidden - YA, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
7. Among the Impostors - YA, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
8. Among the Betrayed - YA, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
10. Among the Barons - YA, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
14. Pee-Wee Harris - children's, by Percy Keese Fitzhugh
25. Flight 29 Down: Static - YA adventure, by Walter Sorrells
26. Betsy-Tacy - children's, by Maud Hart Lovelace
27. Call It Courage - children's, by Armstrong Sperry (Newbery Medal, 1941)
28. The Royal Switch - children's, by The Duchess of York
33. Among the Brave - YA, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
35. Dealing with Dragons - YA fantasy, by Patricia C Wrede
37. Searching for Dragons - YA fantasy, by Patricia C Wrede
38. The House with a Clock in Its Walls - YA gothic, by John Bellairs *
39. Calling on Dragons - YA fantasy, by Patricia C Wrede
40. Hatchet - YA, by Gary Paulsen
41. For Biddle's Sake - children's fantasy, by Gail Carson Levine
42. Rusty's Space Ship - children's SF, by Evelyn Sibley Lampman *
45. Star Ka'at - children's SF, by Andre Norton and Dorothy Madlee *
47. Archer's Goon - YA modern fantasy, by Diana Wynne Jones
52. The Witches of Karres - SF, by James H Schmitz *
57. The Figure in the Shadows - YA gothic, by John Bellairs
60. Star Ka'at World - children's SF, by Andre Norton and Dorothy Madlee *
61. The Weirdstone of Brisingamen - children's modern fantasy, by Alan Garner *
66. The Giver - YA SF, by Lois Lowry (Newbery Medal, 1994)
67. The Chimneys of Green Knowe (aka The Treasure of Green Knowe) - children's, by Lucy M Boston *
69. The Letter, the Witch and the Ring - children's gothic, by John Bellairs
70. The Ghost in the Mirror - children's gothic, by John Bellairs and Brad Strickland
72. The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder - children's gothic, by John Bellairs and Brad Strickland
75. The Summer of the Swans - children's, by Betsy Byars (Newbery Medal, 1971)
79. A Single Shard - children's historical fiction, by Linda Sue Park (Newbery Medal, 2002)
81. Gentle's Holler - children's, by Kerry Madden
83. Escape From Memory - children's, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
87. Penny from Heaven - YA, by Jennifer Holm
89. The Higher Power of Lucky - YA, by Susan Patron (Newbery Medal, 2007)
94. Homecoming - children's, by Cynthia Voigt
96. Dicey's Song - children's, by Cynthia Voigt (Newbery Medal, 1983)
97. Nim's Island - children's, by Wendy Orr
99. Come a Stranger - children's, by Cynthia Voigt
100. Rascal - children's, by Sterling North *
103. The Fledgling - children's, by Jane Langton
107. Seventeen Against the Dealer - YA, by Cynthia Voigt
109. Among the Enemy - YA, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
110. Louisiana's Song - children's, by Kerry Madden
111. Among the Free - YA, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
112. Jessie's Mountain - children's, by Kerry Madden
115. The Curse Of Ravenscourt - children's mystery, by Sarah Masters Buckey
117. A Solitary Blue - YA, by Cynthia Voigt
119. The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy - children's, by Jeanne Birdsall
120. Crispin: The Cross of Lead - children's historical fiction, by Avi (Newbery Medal, 2003)
122. The Penderwicks on Gardam Street - children's, by Jeanne Birdsall
123. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village - children's historical plays, by Laura Amy Schlitz (Newbery Medal, 2008)
125. Hitty, Her First Hundred Years - children's, by Rachel Field (Newbery Medal, 1930)
128. Bud, Not Buddy - children's, by Christopher Paul Curtis (Newbery Medal, 2000)
131. Criss Cross - YA, by Lynne Rae Perkins (Newbery Medal, 2006)
137. Rifles for Watie - children's historical fiction, by Harold Keith (Newbery Medal, 1958)
139. Sounder - children's, by William H Armstrong (Newbery Medal, 1970)
140. Beyond the Deepwoods - children's fantasy, by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
141. The Door in the Wall - children's historical fiction, by Marguerite de Angeli (Newbery Medal, 1950)
142. Knights' Ransom - children's historical fiction, by S F Welty *
143. Julie of the Wolves - YA, by Jean Craighead George (Newbery Medal, 1973)
146. Maniac Magee - YA, by Jerry Spinelli (Newbery Medal, 1991)
153. Brian's Winter - YA, by Gary Paulsen
154. Missing May - YA, by Cynthia Rylant (Newbery Medal, 1993)
155. Walk Two Moons - YA, by Sharon Creech (Newbery Medal, 1995)
163. Shadow of a Bull - children's, by Maia Wojciechowska (Newbery Medal, 1965)
164. The House on the Gulf - YA, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
165. Ruby Holler - YA, by Sharon Creech (Carnegie Medal, 2002)
168. Fog Magic - children's time travel, by Julia L Sauer
171. A Wizard Abroad - YA fantasy, by Diane Duane
173. The Wizard's Dilemma - YA fantasy, by Diane Duane
174. I, Juan de Pareja - children's historical fiction, by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño (Newbery Medal, 1966)
176. A Wizard Alone - YA fantasy, by Diane Duane
178. Wizard's Holiday - YA fantasy, by Diane Duane
180. Wizards at War - YA fantasy, by Diane Duane
181. The Day the Sea Rolled Back - children's adventure, by Mickey Spillane
182. Second Form at Malory Towers - children's, by Enid Blyton *
183. Third Year at Malory Towers - children's, by Enid Blyton *
186. Carry On, Mr Bowditch - children's historical fiction, by Jean Lee Latham (Newbery Medal, 1956)
187. Onion John - children's, by Joseph Krumgold (Newbery Medal, 1960)
188. Stormchaser - children's fantasy, by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
190. Tamar - YA, by Mal Peet (Carnegie Medal, 2005)
191. Millions - children's, by Frank Cottrell Boyce (Carnegie Medal, 2004)
192. Smoky, the Cow Horse - children's, by Will James (Newbery Medal, 1927)
193. Miss Hickory - children's, by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey (Newbery Medal, 1947)
194. Midnight Over Sanctaphrax - children's fantasy, by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
195. Up a Road Slowly - children's, by Irene Hunt (Newbery Medal, 1967)
196. Postcards From No Man's Land - YA, by Aidan Chambers (Carnegie Medal, 1999)
197. Monsoon Summer - YA, by Mitali Perkins
198. The Little Bookroom - children's (short stories), by Eleanor Farjeon (Carnegie Medal, 1955)
199. The Invisible Island - children's, by Dean Marshall *
201. Dig for a Treasure - children's, by Dean Marshall *
202. Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains - children's, by Laurel Snyder
204. Frindle - children's, by Andrew Clements
207. The Owl Service - YA modern fantasy, by Alan Garner (Carnegie Medal, 1967)
209. The Wizard's Apprentice - YA fantasy, by S P Somtow
210. Letters from Rapunzel - children's, by Sara Lewis Holmes
211. The Crossroads - children's ghost story, by Chris Grabenstein
212. Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices - children's poetry, by Paul Fleischman (Newbery Medal, 1989)
213. The Not-So-Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen - YA, by Mitali Perkins
215. A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32 - children's historical fiction, by Joan W Blos (Newbery Medal, 1980)
216. The Eyes of a King - YA fantasy, by Catherine Banner
217. Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos - children's, by R L LaFevers
219. Crossing to Paradise - children's historical fiction, by Kevin Crossley-Holland
220. The Little White Horse - children's fantasy, by Elizabeth Goudge (Carnegie Medal, 1946)
221. The Great American Elephant Chase - children's historical fiction, by Gillian Cross
223. Just Ella - YA, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
224. Palace of Mirrors - YA, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
226. Hole in the Sky - YA SF, by Pete Hautman

Non-Fiction (41)
1. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World - mediaeval history, by Jack Weatherford
2. The Expansion of Everyday Life, 1860-1876 - US history, by Daniel E Sutherland
12. The Scientists - history of science, by John Gribbin
30. The Peking Battles Cape Horn - memoirs, by Irving Johnson
31. The Bridge at Dong Ha - Vietnam War, by John Grider Miller
36. The Last Battle Station: The Story of the USS Houston - WW II, by Duane Schultz
48. War Pilot - aviation history, by Richard C Kirkland
53. Day of Infamy - WW II, by Walter Lord *
78. Stolen Years - WWII memoirs, by Maita Floyd
82. Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters - WWII memoirs, by Dick Winters with Cole C Kingseed
88. When the Dancing Stopped - nautical history, by Brian Hicks
93. Ghost Ship - nautical history, by Brian Hicks
95. Halsey's Typhoon - WW II, by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin
98. Mysteries of the Middle Ages - mediaeval history, by Thomas Cahill
101. The Gifts of the Jews - ancient history, by Thomas Cahill
104. The Few - WW II, by Alex Kershaw
105. Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea - ancient history, by Thomas Cahill
106. A Guinea Pig's History of Biology - science, by Jim Endersby
108. The Sinking of the Lancastria - WW II, by Jonathan Fenby
113. Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters - science, by Donald R Prothero
116. Eight Little Piggies: Reflections in Natural History - science essays, by Stephen Jay Gould
118. Easy Company Soldier - memoirs, by Don Malarkey
121. We Took to the Woods - family life, by Louise Dickinson Rich *
124. She Took to the Woods - biography, by Alice Arlen
129. Roman Architecture - ancient history, by Frank Sear *
132. Your Inner Fish - anatomy and evolution, by Neil Shubin
133. Locomotive: Building an Eight-Wheeler - children's non-fiction, by David Weitzman
138. A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World - American history, by Tony Horwitz
151. King, Kaiser, Tsar: Three Royal Cousins Who Led the World to War - European history, by Catrine Clay
157. The Long Summer: How Climate Changed Civilization - ancient history, by Brian Fagan *
159. Frozen Earth: The Once and Future Story of Ice Ages - science, by Doug Macdougall
161. The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History, 1300-1850 - European history, by Brian Fagan *
162. Snowball Earth: The Story of the Great Global Catastrophe That Spawned Life As We Know It - science, by Gabrielle Walker
167. From Hardtack to Home Fries: An Uncommon History of American Cooks and Meals - cookery, by Barbara Haber
169. A Movable Feast: Ten Millennia of Food Globalization - world history, by Kenneth F Kiple
172. The Taste of Conquest: The Rise and Fall of the Three Great Cities of Spice - European history, by Michael Krondl
175. The Great Warming: Climate Change and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations - world history, by Brian Fagan
203. Women Sailors and Sailors' Women: An Untold Maritime History - nautical history, by David Cordingly
218. Q-Ships Versus U-Boats: America's Secret Project - WW II, by Kenneth M Beyer
222. The Terror Before Trafalgar: Nelson, Napoleon and the Secret War - European history, by Tom Pocock
225. Tall Blondes: A Book About Giraffes - natural history, by Lynn Sherr

The biggest categories were historical fiction (35, including historical mysteries and plays), fantasy (32, including gothic and ghost stories), mysteries (31), Newbery Medal winners (28, bringing my total thus far up to 70 of the 87), history (26) and SF (24). And 29 of the books were rereads.

My favourites? Tamar, by Mal Peet, was the best book I read all year, followed closely by Eifelheim, by Michael Flynn, and The Crossroads, by Chris Grabenstein. These fourteen (listed in the order in which I read them) were also very good:

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, by Jack Weatherford
Archer's Goon, by Diana Wynne Jones
In the Courts of the Crimson Kings, by S M Stirling
A Guinea Pig's History of Biology, by Jim Endersby
Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters, by Donald R Prothero
Easy Company Soldier, by Don Malarkey
The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, by Jeanne Birdsall
Three Hands in the Fountain, by Lindsey Davis
Your Inner Fish, by Neil Shubin
Heavy Weather, by P G Wodehouse
Wizards at War, by Diane Duane
Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains, by Laurel Snyder
Letters from Rapunzel, by Sara Lewis Holmes
The Eyes of a King, by Catherine Banner

My goal for this year is to read 209 books.


Edit 1443 9 Jan 09: It seems this was my 1000th post....

Book list - Dec 08

A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32 - children's historical fiction, by Joan W Blos (Newbery Medal, 1980)
The Eyes of a King - YA fantasy, by Catherine Banner
Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos - children's, by R L LaFevers
Q-Ships Versus U-Boats: America's Secret Project - WW II, by Kenneth M Beyer
Crossing to Paradise - children's historical fiction, by Kevin Crossley-Holland
The Little White Horse - children's fantasy, by Elizabeth Goudge (Carnegie Medal, 1946)
The Great American Elephant Chase - children's historical fiction, by Gillian Cross
The Terror Before Trafalgar: Nelson, Napoleon and the Secret War - European history, by Tom Pocock
Just Ella - YA, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Palace of Mirrors - YA, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Tall Blondes: A Book About Giraffes - natural history, by Lynn Sherr
Hole in the Sky - YA SF, by Pete Hautman


Twelve books this month, with no rereads. I reached my goal of 208 books this year sometime around the 22nd (wasn't paying attention) of November.

The one Newbery Medal winner brings my total thus far up to 70 of 87, and the one Carnegie Medal winner brings me up to 13 of 69.

Honours

The 2009 New Year Honours List is out. Reading through it, I find:

Knights Bachelor
Knighthoods
Terence David John PRATCHETT, OBE
Author. For services to literature.
(Salisbury, Wiltshire)

Order of the British Empire
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Jane Mary, Mrs GARDAM
Author. For services to Literature.
(Kent)
Members of the Order of the British Empire
Ms Wendy COOLING
Co-Founder, Bookstart Project. For services to Children's Reading.
(Barnet, Hertfordshire)

Sir Terence, of course, is the author of the Discworld series, including The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, winner of the 2001 Carnegie Medal. Jane Gardam OBE is the author of several children's books, including The Hollow Land, 1981 winner of the Whitbread Children's Book Award. Wendy Cooling MBE has edited numerous books for children. Bookstart is a books-for-babies programmme, which delivers free books to babies and toddlers in the UK.

The names of military personnel (and MOD civilians) included on the Honours List can be found here.

(Left: Insignia of a knight bachelor. Right: Emblem of a member of the Order of the British Empire.)

The Cybils: 2008 long lists

It just occurred to me that, while the nominations for the 2008 Cybils (the Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards) closed some time back, I never did post the list, Therefore....

The categories, with links to lists of nominees, are:

Easy Readers: 31 books
Fantasy & Science Fiction (Middle Grade): 63 books
Fantasy & Science Fiction (Young Adult): 98 books
Fiction Picture Books: 186 books
Graphic Novels (Middle Grade): 25 books
Graphic Novels (Young Adult): 24 books
Middle Grade Fiction: 129 books
Non-Fiction Middle Grade/Young Adult Books: 57 books
Non-Fiction Picture Books: 61 books
Poetry: 31 books
Young Adult Fiction: 136 books

Reviews of many of the books nominated can be found on the Cybils website.

The short lists are to be announced on 1 January, and then the winners on 14 February.

RIP: Lt Col Eric Wilson VC

Pte J G Beharry VC and Lt Col E C T Wilson VC

Lt Col Eric Charles Twelves Wilson VC
2 Oct 1912 - 23 Dec 2008

ZUI this article from The Telegraph:

Lieutenant-Colonel Eric Wilson, who died on December 23 aged 96, was awarded a Victoria Cross for his gallant defence against a large Italian force during the East African campaign in August 1940; the award was originally posthumous since Wilson was thought to have been killed in action.

When the Italians, with 350,000 troops in Abyssinia and Eritrea, invaded British Somaliland, which was defended by 1,500 men, they threatened control of the entrance to the Red Sea and British positions from Aden to Suez. As they headed for Berbera, on the coast, a meagre Allied force began to search for a defensive position. Most of the terrain was flat, but parallel to the sea lay the rugged Golis hills, with an 8,000ft pass, where the Allies chose to make their stand.

Wilson, an acting captain with the Somaliland Camel Corps, was given the vital task of siting the corps' machine guns on four small hills of the Tug Argan Pass – named Black, Knobbly, Mill and Observation – though they were too widely separated to cover their entire vista.

*******

On recovering consciousness he emerged from the crevasse which had sheltered the gun to find dead bodies all around, including that of his terrier. On walking down he met a white NCO, with whom he was then captured by the Italians.

When news of the action reached London, Wilson was believed to have been killed in the final assault, and his VC was gazetted two months later. But after medical treatment, he was put in a prison camp at Adi Ugri in Eritrea. Four months later a captured RAF officer was surprised to meet the "late" Captain Wilson, and informed him of his award. A few weeks later preparations were almost complete for a mass escape by tunnel when the prisoners woke up to find all their captors but the commandant gone before the arrival of British troops.

*******

Eric Charles Twelves Wilson, the son of the rector of Hunsdon, Hertfordshire, was born on October 2 1912 at Sandown on the Isle of Wight. His interest in East Africa was kindled by his grandfather, who had founded the Church Missionary Society in Buganda.

At Marlborough, where Eric was a fine athlete, he discovered a statue of Richard Corfield, who had perished fighting with Somalis against the Mad Mullah in 1913. He decided on a military life and, despite wearing spectacles, passed the Sandhurst entrance exam while still at school.

In 1933 he was commissioned into the East Surrey Regiment. Four years later he volunteered for the King's African Rifles, supporting the colonial administration upcountry in Tanganyika and became a Nyassa speaker.

In 1939 he was delighted to be ordered to form 75 Somali conscripts into a company of machine-gunners with the Somaliland Camel Corps; the Somalis considered camels too precious to ride, keeping them for their milk and for transporting the Vickers machine guns.

*******

After recovering from his wounds at Tug Argan, Wilson served in North Africa as adjutant of the Long Range Desert Group, demonstrating a knowledge of the desert which greatly aided its work behind German lines.

He then served in Burma as second-in-command of the 11th King's African Rifles in the advance down the Kabaw Valley to the Chindwin. But after contracting scrub typhus he spent the rest of the war commanding an infantry training centre in Uganda.

Wilson retired from the Army in 1949 and became a colonial officer in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), where he became fluent in four Bantu languages before retiring with the granting of independence in 1961.

*******

He married first, in 1943 (dissolved 1953), Ann Pleydell-Bouverie; they had two sons. He married secondly, in 1953, Angela Gordon, with whom he another son.

In retirement Wilson found himself increasingly sought after as the oldest VC. He told Private Johnson Beharry, of the 1st Battalion Princess of Wales's regiment, who won a VC in Iraq in 2005: "It will not make a difference to your life. You might get a few drinks, though."

There are now nine surviving VC holders:

WO Tul Bahadur Pun VC, 6th Gurkha Rifles - Burma, 1944
Flt Lt John A Cruickshank VC, RAFVR - North Atlantic, 1944
Hav Lachhiman Gurung VC, 8th Gurkha Rifles - Burma, 1945
Pte Edward Kenna VC, Australian Imperial Force - New Guinea, 1945
Sgt William Speakman VC, The Black Watch - Korea, 1951
Capt Ram Bahadur Limbu VC MVO, 10th Gurkha Rifles - Borneo, 1965
WO Keith Payne VC OAM, Australian Army - Vietnam, 1969
Pte Johnson G Beharry VC, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment - Iraq, 2004
Cpl Bill H Apiata VC, New Zealand SAS - Afghanistan, 2004

******* *** *******

ERIC CHARLES TWELVES WILSON

Lieutenant (Acting Captain), The East Surrey Regiment; attached Somaliland Camel Corps

Born: 2 October 1912, Sandown, Isle of Wight
Died: 23 December 2008

Citation: For most conspicuous gallantry on active service in Somaliland. Captain Wilson was in command of machine-gun posts manned by Somali soldiers in the key position of Observation Hill, a defended post in the defensive organisation of the Tug Argan Gap in British Somaliland.
The enemy attacked Observation Hill on August 11th, 1940. Captain Wilson and Somali gunners under his command beat off the attack and opened fire on the enemy troops attacking Mill Hill, another post within his range. He inflicted such heavy casualties that the enemy, determined to put his guns out of action, brought up a pack battery to within seven hundred yards, and scored two direct hits through the loopholes of his defences, which, bursting within the post, wounded Captain Wilson severely in the right shoulder and in the left eye, several of his team being also wounded. His guns were blown off their stands but he repaired and replaced them and, regardless of his wounds, carried on, whilst his Somali sergeant was killed beside him.
On August 12th and 14th the enemy again concentrated field artillery fire on Captain Wilson's guns, but he continued, with his wounds untended, to man them.
On August 15th two of his machine-gun posts were blown to pieces, yet Captain Wilson, now suffering from malaria in addition to wounds, still kept his own post in action.
The enemy finally over-ran the post at 5 p.m. on the 15th August when Captain Wilson, fighting to the last, was killed.

[London Gazette issue 34968 dated 14 Oct 1940, published 11 Oct 1940.]


Ministtry of Defence photograph © Crown Copyright/MOD 2005.

RIP: George Francis

George Rene Francis
6 Jun 1896 - 27 Dec 2008

ZUI this article from the Sacramento (CA) Bee:

George Rene Francis, the oldest man in America, who lived through 19 presidents and saw Babe Ruth swat a homer, died Saturday in a Sacramento nursing home. He was 112.

Mr. Francis, born June 6, 1896, in New Orleans, died of congestive heart failure in Eskaton Care Center Greenhaven, according to his family.

Mr. Francis, an African American who taught his daughter how to drive after she had to give up her bus seat to a white man, marveled recently at casting his vote for President-elect Barack Obama. Possibly the nation's oldest voter, he told The Bee then, "I think he's great, because he's black. Because the white people thought the Negro would never be promoted. I think it's beautiful."

*******

Mr. Francis moved to Sacramento in 1949 in search of work. After a short career as a boxer, he became a chauffeur, an auto mechanic and a barber. His wife, Josephine, died in 1963 after 46 years of marriage. They had four children.

Mr. Francis, who was rejected by the Army during World War I because he couldn't carry a 50-pound pack on his 5-foot-6-inch frame, smoked cigars until he was 75 and got by on six hours' sleep.

He broke all the rules of healthy eating with a diet heavy on dairy and eggs and some lard sandwiches. He loved hot links, and Luigi's Pizza Parlor in Oak Park was a favorite haunt.

He is survived by four children, 19 grandchildren, and 30-plus great-grandchildren, his daughter said.

According to the Gerontology Research Group (GRG), Francis was the ninth-oldest person in the US at the time of his death. He was tied with Henry Allingham, of England, as the 19th-oldest person and the second-oldest man in the world.

The oldest man in the United States is now Walter Breuning of Montana (born 21 Sep 1896).

Mr Francis was the second supercentenarian listed by the GRG to die since the death of Catherine Hagel on 6 December, the other being Betty Rutherford of Arkansas (4 May 1898-11 Dec 2008). The GRG's list of living supercentenarians currently contains 91 people (82 females and 9 males), ranging from Maria de Jesus of Portugal (born 10 Sep 1893) to Andresa Guerrero-Ortiz of Spain (born 30 Nov 1898). Two of them (both women) live in California.

Victoria Cross: W. Cosgrove

WILLIAM COSGROVE

Corporal, 1st Battalion The Royal Munster Fusiliers

Born: 1 October 1888, Aghada, County Cork, Ireland
Died: 14 July 1936, London

Citation: For most conspicuous bravery in the leading of his section with great dash during our attack from the beach to the east of Cape Helles, on the Turkish positions, on 26th April, 1915.
Corporal Cosgrove on this occasion pulled down the posts of the enemy's high wire entanglements single-handed, notwithstanding a terrific fire from both front and flanks, thereby greatly contributing to the successful clearing of the heights.

(London Gazette Issue 29272 dated 23 Aug 1915, published 20 Aug 1915.)

Medal of Honor: D. E. Wayrynen

DALE EUGENE WAYRYNEN

Specialist Fourth Class, US Army; 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division

Born: 18 January 1947, Moose Lake, Minnesota
Died: 18 May 1967, near Duc Pho, Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Wayrynen distinguished himself with Company B, during combat operations [on 18 May 1967] near Duc Pho. His platoon was assisting in the night evacuation of the wounded from an earlier enemy contact when the lead man of the unit met face to face with a Viet Cong soldier. The American's shouted warning also alerted the enemy who immediately swept the area with automatic weapons fire from a strongly built bunker close to the trail and threw hand grenades from another nearby fortified position. Almost immediately, the lead man was wounded and knocked from his feet. Sp4c. Wayrynen, the second man in the formation, leaped beyond his fallen comrade to kill another enemy soldier who appeared on the trail, and he dragged his injured companion back to where the point squad had taken cover. Suddenly, a live enemy grenade landed in the center of the tightly grouped men. Sp4c. Wayrynen, quickly assessing the danger to the entire squad as well as to his platoon leader who was nearby, shouted a warning, pushed one soldier out of the way, and threw himself on the grenade at the moment it exploded. He was mortally wounded. His deep and abiding concern for his fellow soldiers was significantly reflected in his supreme and courageous act that preserved the lives of his comrades. Sp4c. Wayrynen's heroic actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of the service, and they reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.

The King William's College quiz

Last year, right after Xmas, I started getting dozens of visits to this blog - all resulting from Google (or other) searches for information about the Jemmerling collection. I asked why, and some kind person explained to me that people were looking for the answer to question 15.6 of the King William's College 2007 General Knowledge Paper.

This fine test comes from King William's College, which was founded in 1833 on the Isle of Man. The quiz itself has been given annually for over a century (this year's being the 104th); students take it twice, once immediately before Xmas, cold, and again after the Xmas holidays, after having researched the answers. A good score may be 20 correct answers on the first try; an average score, it seems, is more like two (out of 180!).* It has also become quite popular with non-students, and since 1951 has been published in The Guardian.

In its present form, the "quiz" consists of 18 sets of ten questions each. All the questions in a set have a common theme, which may or may not be given. The last set consists of questions about events of the current year, and the first set asks about events which happened 100 years ago; the remaining 16 sets may cover literature, history, geography or other subjects. (Last year's visitors were looking for the answer to a question in a set about the Swallows & Amazons books, by Arthur Ransome.)

In 2004, the year of the 100th quiz, The Guardian also published an interview with the current writer, Dr Pat Cullen (a retired GP who began compiling the quiz in 1997), under the heading 'I like to irritate' - apparently he is good at it.

Here it is: The 104th edition of the King William's College General Knowledge Paper.

Scire ubi aliquid invenire possis, ea demum maxima pars eruditionis est

1) During the year 1908:
1. who announced T?
2. who finished at 59 with 15 and 25?
3. what confectionery was inspired by Shaw?
4. who gained her second first at an old east-coast fort?
5. where did the Thomas Flyer arrive on the Asiatic mainland?
6. whose birthday present was cut into nine pieces for the family headdress and other equipment?
7. whose resignation pre-empted his demise by just 16 days?
8. which tale launched a nouveau riche boy-racer?
9. for whom was Lord Hugh best man?
10. what event elevated Manuel?

2) Who began what by:
1. recalling unusual citrous abundance?
2. describing his subject's physiognomy with a succession of v's?
3. justifying the creation of a short palindromic nickname for "himself"?
4. describing the emergence at dawn of a moustached little man with bowlegs?
5. recalling melancholy inspiration from early evening sights and
sounds in a rural churchyard?
6. suggesting that it was generally accepted that a well-heeled loner must be looking for a lady?
7. describing a studio filled with the scents of roses, lilac and pink-flowered thorn?
8. describing his hero facing execution and recalling the discovery of ice?
9. recalling a send-off from family and friends at Charing Cross?
10. providing an alibi for the white kitten?

3)
1. Whose ground-breaking effort quoted Numbers XXIII, 23?
2. Who wired who confirming worst fears and requesting gumboots?
3. Whose telegram caused Dew to hasten westward on the Laurentic?
4. Who, on sighting the enemy, urgently requested a firearm and 300 bullets?
5. Whose expression of delight was accompanied by a request for a patent oil cooking stove?
6. With what single word did the defeated Governor allegedly advise cancellation of the papal travel arrangements?
7. Who described a suave, Bohemian, elderly, storekeeper in the Commercial Road?
8. Which repetitious message prompted the query "Does that mean Yes?"
9. Who discovered a crumpled telegram reading "Suivez à Bokhare Saronov"?
10. On what occasion was the royal wrath not expressed in code?

4)
1. What is the Island of Sheep?
2. Where did the sea cave inspire Op 26?
3. Where was Magnus Erlendsson executed?
4. What was David's gift to the Berkshire monks?
5. Where did an amputated digit earn its owner the right to build a monastery?
6. Where did the great grandson of King John III make his first British landfall?
7. Where is the unique mutton derived from a diet of Laminaria?
8. Where was quarantine enforced for 48 years?
9. To what was Meg's deafness compared?
10. Where was Andie Dale the prefect?

5) Travelling from Nordic lands, try unravelling:
1. the eponymous traitor,
2. then Merrill's famed fisherman partner
3. and a misplaced cygnet,
4. contrasting with a little anser,
5. thousands of whose elders visit a Waddenzee barrier island,
6. while in Belgium, memories of Ursula are awakened by a Flemish Primitive,
7 and in the Amblève, or perhaps the Lesse, one might confusingly make geometry a sport
8 and try to catch a little trout
9 or even its seemingly lepidopteran relative
10 before celebrating in Germany with Piesport's speciality

6) Who:
1. was Foolish?
2. was Rodrigo de Borja y Borja?
3. invested Henry Sinclair as Earl of Orkney?
4. had a half-sister sired by his father's physician?
5. founded a Siamese school, which was later named in his honour?
6. was born on the 34th annversary of the death of his great grandfather and the 17th of that of his great aunt?
7. was the offspring of parents sharing the same grandmother?
8. was the 36th and last in a line started in 1299?
9. was blinded by his mother Irene?
10. was tripartite?

7)
1. Which language was developed by a Polish ophthalmologist?
2. Which language of the Romance group has a definite article suffix?
3. Of which European language is the origin unknown, even to the experts?
4. Which geographically Scandinavian language is not linguistically Scandinavian?
5. Which European language is the only survivor of its branch of the Indo-European group?
6. Which Slavonic language is spoken in a country whose national language is not Slavonic?
7. Which European language is spoken by about 1% of the population of Switzerland?
8. Which European language has a past tense form which looks like a future?
9. Which Slavonic language has done away with the case forms
of nouns?
10. Which European national language still retains the dual number?

8) What:
1. is also a game using 28 marbles?
2. formed part of a linear horticultural decoration?
3. are typically preserved in seasoned butter in Lancashire?
4. when released in America, suggested involvement with Christine Keeler?
5. are geographically confusing names of what is neither one thing nor the other?
6. pelecypod was perhaps familiar to the pupils (and their successors) of Rev Thomas Langhorne?
7. did the man from the Borough regard as the invariable accompaniment of poverty?
8. legs are found in unbaled water together with tangled lines?
9. nominally, has blue representatives in another kingdom?
10. when baked too brown, must sugar his hair?

9) Journeying on what, between which termini, might one's thoughts
turn to:
1. sleepwalking?
2. elliptical orbits?
3. the quintessential libertine?
4. a soldier without a passport?
5. the founding father of the EU?
6. the royal prisoner of Sönderborg?
7. Judith and three mute wives?
8. clothed and naked versions?
9. the mount of Bellerophon?
10. melting clocks?

10) Which river:
1. received the defeated Aunus?
2. floats laden barges by banks of myosote?
3. was central to the non-payment of a mayoral debt?
4. was identified without doubt by the discovery of the initials AD
5. saw Captain Schenk acquire an engineer to replace the deceased Walter?
6. despite being in flood, could be crossed dry-shod following clerical plantar immersion?
7. provided drinks for kine, and horses, and little humorous donkeys?
8. along with Cairo was passed unnoticed by the raft in the fog?
9. was a source of shelly snails and green lettuces?
10. witnessed a case of unwitting filicide?

11) Who or what:
1. had instinct?
2. reds started as Villa?
3. uniquely, got three in whose match?
4. claimed continuing labial adhesiveness?
5. was formerly William and succeeded Louis?
6. in repetitive utterances, anticipated Glyn Daniel et al?
7. described a small arm accident on 17/6/15?
8. was executed at Bolton after Worcester?
9. was targeted by Nat and Dermot?
10. was presumptuous?

12) Where:
1. was the mistress leguminous?
2. were the Harmonic Meetings regularly held?
3. was Rogue resuscitated after his prolonged immersion?
4. did the circus manager point out that "People must be amuthed"?
5. did the curate speak for one hour and 25 minutes at an anti-slavery meeting?
6. did a little, yellow high-shouldered man, with a fixed grim smile, tell about a queer client?
7. did the landlord report that Phil was so drunk that a boy might take him?
8. did the Yorkshire schoolmaster interview tutors and pupils?
9. did the strange man stir his rum-and-water with a file?
10. did the hangman bind the old man to his chair?

13)
1. Who remained a bachelor?
2. Who had been ADC to Mad Anthony?
3. Who was described as a withered little applejohn?
4. Whose nickname was perfect for a slogan of approval?
5. Who enlisted as a private, but came out as a brevet major?
6. Who maintained that silence ensured no need for repetition?
7. Who, in his youth, admitted to cutting down a cherry tree?
8. Who compared his strength to that of a male cervid?
9. Who is remembered, nominally, in West Africa?
10. Which two died on the same day?

14) Within the capital of which member state of the United Nations will you find:
1. calluna?
2. 3.14159?
3. that its alright?
4. a Windermere resident?
5. a West Country watercourse?
6. a pudding distinguished by ladies' fingers?
7. a simian representative?
8. a Tibetan monk?
9. a semi-metal?
10. nothing?

15) Who:
1. was morally pure in EC2?
2. shot Buffalo Bill at Belvedere, Ohio?
3. went to the wrong church for her wedding?
4. believed, erroneously, that Byron murdered Ezra Chater?
5. killed Lord Frederick in a duel, following his return from Belgium?
6. possessed nothing but the contents of his wallet, the clothes he stood up in, the hare-lip, the automatic he should have left behind?
7. was as little interested in love as in the habits of Trematodes?
8. wore white for her immolation on October 27?
9. advocated unlimited slaughter of bluejays?
10. posed as Doctor Copernicus?

16) Following my leader, who or what:
1. is a Hampshire jewel?
2. decorated Findlater's label?
3. is meteorologically striking?
4. houses Colum Cille's shrine?
5. could be wild duck washed down with Ch. Latour?
6. might refer to poor Sarah's biliary obstruction?
7. is absolutely necessary to a ram?
8. was Anastasia's great aunt?
9. could have been a crusader?
10. is a musteline appendage?

17) In which town:
1. did prisoner 24601 steal the episcopal silver?
2. did Lady de Winter poison the novice at the convent?
3. was the cathedral like a vast boudoir prepared for Emma?
4. did Jake, dining alone, drink a bottle of Ch. Margaux for company?
5 .did Duhamel ask that the crayfish should be very lightly boiled just seized?
6. did la Baronne de la Chalonnière encounter Alexander Duggan at the Hôtel du Cerf?
7. did Holmes spend some months in a research into coal-tar derivatives?
8. were plum-coloured shoes removed to expose red stockings?
9. did Harry urge his uncle to enter and fortify the town?
10. did Hannay receive hellish news from Laidlaw?

18) During 2008:
1. which gartered kiwi was laid to rest?
2. which fine food has gained PGS in Leicestershire?
3. who, following 2nd at 2K with 3 others, got 1st at 3K alone?
4 which sometime bulbous plant would seem to be involved with "arthrology"?
5. who made successive day trips to Abergele, Fountains Abbey and Mugdock?
6. where has the pancake bell ceased to signal the start of a race owing to health and safety issues?
7. where did a giant arachnid briefly invade an apparently coleopteran habitat?
8. what legendary diamond fell to the successors of the fictitious Misson?
9. who got six months for dishonesty at White Plains?
10. whose jobcentre manager fetched £17.2m?

* On the first look through, I knew (or think I knew) the answers to 15 of the questions, and had at least a clue to a half-dozen or so others.