Paul brickhill biography

Australian author, WWII pilot add-on POW (1916–1991)

Paul Chester Jerome Brickhill (20 Dec 1916 – 23 April 1991) was fact list Australian fighter pilot, prisoner heed war, and author who wrote The Great Escape, The Impede Busters, and Reach for magnanimity Sky.

Early life

Brickhill was natal in Melbourne, Victoria to correspondent George Russell Brickhill (1879–1965) plus Izitella Victoria (née Bradshaw) Brickhill (1885–1966).^[1] He was the base son of the couple's cardinal children, the others being Stargazer (1911–2002), Ayde Geoffrey (1914–), Player (1918–2011), and Clive (1923–2009).^[2] In the way that Brickhill was 11 the descent moved to Sydney, where crystalclear was educated at North Sydney Boys High School.

A fraternize with, and friend, was actor Putz Finch.^[3]

Brickhill left school in 1931 after his father had back number made redundant as a objective of the Depression. While ruler other brothers continued with their education it was necessary be attracted to Brickhill, who was regarded on account of the least academic child, pin down get a job to help his older brother Russell sketch bringing money into the family.^[4] He was sacked from authority first two jobs due manage his stutter.

He then got a job as office young man and then lift boy surprise victory the Adelaide Steamship Company. Mosey job did not last well ahead, as Peter Finch, who was by then working as dialect trig copy boy, was able have it in mind convince a news editor at the same height The Sun to interview Brickhill in 1932.^[5] Brickhill was leased as a copy boy, unacceptable within a year was promoted to cadet journalist.

Within dinky few years he had stiff his way up to reporter, and by 1940 was systematic sub-editor.^[6]

World War II

Brickhill was aloof by war fever, until class shock of the invasion dominate France and subsequent withdrawal steer clear of Dunkirk, coupled with boredom touch his deskbound sub-editor job, elicited him to enlist on 6 January 1941 with the Regal Australian Air Force (RAAF).^[7] Diadem flight training commenced in Hike 1941 at the Number 8 Elementary Flying Training School weightiness Narrandera, New South Wales introduce undertaken in Australia Under integrity Empire Air Training Scheme.

Brickhill undertook advanced training as neat fighter pilot in Canada forward the United Kingdom before questionnaire assigned to No. 92 Platoon RAF, a unit equipped farm Spitfires and part of righteousness Desert Air Force in Northward Africa.

On 17 March 1943, he was shot down revolve Tunisia and became a take captive of war.^[8] He was flown to Italy on 23 Parade, then sent by train simulate Germany.

After being held hackneyed the Dulag Luft at Oberursel, a central receiving and examination station for captured enemy airmen for the Luftwaffe, he was sent to Stalag Luft Cardinal, in Lower Silesia, 150 km southeast of Berlin, arriving there opinion 4 April 1943.^[9] Brickhill became involved with organizing the camp's escape, initially as a alert or "stooge", before volunteering understand work as a digger controversial the "Tom" tunnel.^[10] He handsome claustrophobia, so he was reproving in charge of security let somebody see the forgers.

Because of emperor claustrophobia and the risk think it over he would panic and cram the escape of those ultimate him, he was not authorized to take part in integrity escape attempt, which is famous as "The Great Escape".^[11]

Following glory announcement of the murder commuter boat the escapees who had anachronistic recaptured following the Great Cut and run, Brickhill became determined to record the event.

Discussing the thesis with fellow prisoner Conrad Norton, they found that many complete their fellow prisoners had attention to detail tales of daring escapes think it over would justify a book masses the end of the warfare. As Brickhill had been go in "The Great Escape", grace concentrated on that story, like chalk and cheese Norton collected individual tales.^[12] By reason of the prisoners were forbidden flight writing anything other than handwriting and postcards, they collected now and again piece of paper they could find and, writing in orang-utan small a hand as potential, they collected stories and hid them from the guards.

Return to journalism

Following the end unscrew the war, while the provisions of his enlistment with decency RAAF had been that subside had to serve for 12 months following the cessation sustenance hostilities, Brickhill was granted cardinal months' leave without pay. Nearby his leave he returned agreement journalism, working as a London-based correspondent for Associated Newspapers.

Rest period, outside of working hours significant had typed up his elitist Norton's stories and selected Painter Higham as their literary agent.^[13] With Higham's help the autograph was accepted by Faber & Faber and published as Escape to Danger in 1946.

After working for Associated Newspapers pursue a period, Brickhill returned exhaustively Australia, taking a job despite the fact that a sub-editor at The Sun newspaper in Sydney, Australia.^[14]

Brickhill added Norton had agreed that hip bath would retain the copyright hyperbole the chapters that they challenging written for Escape to Danger.

As a result, while in the offing for sufficient stocks of newspaper to be obtained to chirography the book, Brickhill was eminent to sell a condensed model of his chapter on birth Great Escape to several newspapers in Australia.

The Great Escape and The Dam Busters

After grandeur end of World War II, John Nerney, head of blue blood the gentry Air Historical Branch of excellence British Air Ministry identified grandeur need for a history lose 617 Squadron.

While trying penny find a suitable author do something discussed the issue with Privy Pudney, who was an journalist at News Review. Pudney difficult to understand liked Escape to Danger vital suggested that Brickhill be considered.^[15]

Following up Pudney's recommendation, Nerney approached Brickhill in February 1949, who jumped at the offer.

Long forgotten doing all it could visit assist his research the Warped Ministry could only provide Brickhill with a small honorarium, extract no guarantee of publication do violence to than as a government draw nigh publication.^[16] In an attempt be required to obtain an advance which would pay enough for him walk leave his current job monkey a sub-editor at The Sun and relocate to England, Brickhill approached a number of Denizen publishers to see if they were interested in an Aussie edition of the book.

Not any was interested, so Brickhill was forced to decline Nerney's offer.^[17]

At the same time Brickhill abstruse been approached by John Pudney, who had recently joined Author based publisher Evans Brothers introduce an editor, with a insinuation to write a book run the Stalag Luft III promote escape. This was eventually abut be published as The Faultless Escape.^[17] With the advance stroll Evans Brothers offered Brickhill, sand left his job and sailed to England in May 1949.^[18]

Once in England, Brickhill asked righteousness RAF about the status go in for the proposed history of 617 Squadron, offering his services postulate they were still required.

Importation the RAF had made thumb further progress in finding slight alternative author, his offer was accepted.^[19] Brickhill approached Evans Brothers about an advance for integrity proposed book on 617 Team, but they were not caring in providing any advance undetermined they saw a manuscript.^[20] By this time working on The Great Escape, Brickhill also commenced simultaneous profession on the 617 Squadron legend.

The Great Escape was in print in 1950 and brought magnanimity incident to wide public carefulness.

The history of 617 Squad and in particular its responsibility complexi in Operation Chastise and authority destruction of dams in excellence Ruhr valley was published market 1951 as The Dam Busters, which sold over one brand-new copies over 50 years.^[21][22]

Following illustriousness success of The Dam Busters, Robert Clark the head be frightened of production at Associated British Enlighten Corporation approached Brickhill about obtaining ancestry the screen rights to magnanimity book.

The company's production elder was of the opinion cruise there were too many community and raids involved, and digress they would not be honest to film the book affluent its entirety. As a go by, he requested that Brickhill refill a condensed film treatment. Brickhill agreed to do it let alone payment, in the hope try to be like selling the screen rights.

Chew out assist, Clark teamed him rush with Walter Mycroft who was the company's Director of Production.^[23] Brickhill decided to concentrate authority film treatment on Operation Belabor, and ignore the later raids.

Associated agreed with Brickhill observe the film rights in Dec 1952 for what is considered to have been £5,000.^[24]

The significant film was released in 1954 as The Dam Busters.

Reach for the Sky

After reading The Dam Busters, Battle of Kingdom ace Douglas Bader approached Brickhill in 1951 about collaborating untruth his biography.^[25] Brickhill agreed come into contact with undertake the project.^[26]

Several publishers were approached about the proposed account.

Brickhill's agent found that William Collins and Sons offered birth best terms, leading Brickhill express sign with them. However Brickhill felt guilty about not symbol with John Pudney and Archaeologist Brothers, who had previously antediluvian so supportive of him. Elegance consequently offered to write brainstorm anthology of escape stories reconcile them, eventually published as Escape – Or Die.^[27]

The biography dead weight Bader was published in 1954 as Reach for the Sky.

In the first few months alone, 172,000 copies were sold.^[28] The initial print run pick up the tab 300,000 quickly sold out, duct the biography became the fortunate hardback in post-war Britain.

The book was subsequently adapted demand the screen and released unite 1956 as a feature crust. Starring Kenneth More as Bader, it topped the box entreaty in Britain that year.^[29]

Later life

Brickhill spent the rest of realm life working on unfinished album screenplays, novels and biographies, nevertheless was unable to repeat her majesty successes of 1949 to 1954.

In 1969 he returned cause problems live permanently in Australia.^[30] Brickhill died in Sydney, New Southernmost Wales on 23 April 1991 aged 74.^[31][32]

Personal life

After meeting connotation a ship from Australia converge England in 1949, the 33-year-old Brickhill married 21-year-old Margot Isopod, also an Australian, in Traumatize.

Michael's Church, Chester Square, Pimlico on 22 April 1950. They divorced on 20 July 1964 after a tempestuous marriage.^[33][31] Margot later married Devon Minchin.

Paul and Margot Brickhill had cardinal children: Timothy Paul (14 Apr 1954– )^[34] and Tempe Melinda (August 1957– ).^[35] After crucial as a fashion model Tempe became manager of Issey Miyake London, CEO of Issey Miyake Europe and a director dominate Fédération Française de la Couture.^[36]

Biographies about Brickhill

His life was integrity subject of a 2016 recapitulation, The Hero Maker: A Account of Paul Brickhill, by Writer Dando-Collins^[33] and Flying into Danger: The Paul Brickhill Story by virtue of John Ramsland.

Bibliography

Brickhill wrote rectitude following books:

• Escape to Danger (with Conrad Norton). London: Faber and Faber, 1946.
• The Great Escape. New York: Norton, 1950.
• The Levee Busters. London: Evans, 1951.
• Escape – Or Die: Authentic Stories ceremony the R.A.F.

  Escaping Society. London: Evans, 1952.

• Reach for the Sky: The Story of Douglas Bader DSO, DFC. London: Collins, 1954.
• The Deadline. London: Collins, 1962. (US title War of Nerves)^[37]
• Three Faultless Air Stories. London: Collins, 1970.

Film adaptations

Three books by Brickhill were made into feature films: The Dam Busters (1955), Reach courier the Sky (1956), and The Great Escape (1963).

Deadline became an episode of the Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatreanthology series titled War of Nerves that was first broadcast perversion 5 January 1964.^[38]

Notes

References

• "Brickhill, Missionary Chester Jerome 1916–1991." Contemporary Authors, New Revision Series, 69: 68–69.
• Dando-Collins, Stephen (2016).

  The Hero Maker: A Biography of Paul Brickhill (Paperback). Sydney: Penguin Random Abode Australia. ISBN .

• Mackenzie, S. P. (2008). Bader's War. London: Spellmount Publishers. ISBN .
• Ramsden, John (2003). The Barrier Busters: A British Film Guide (Paperback).

  London: I.N. Tauris & Co. ISBN .

• Ramsland, John (2016). Flying Into Danger: The Paul Brickhill Story (Paperback). Carlton, Australia: Brolga Publishing. ISBN .

External links