Dick King-Smith Explained

Dick King-Smith
Honorific Suffix:OBE Hon.MEd
Pseudonym:Dick King-Smith
Birth Name:Ronald Gordon King-Smith
Birth Date:27 March 1922
Birth Place:Bitton, Gloucestershire, England
Death Place:Bath, Somerset, England
Occupation:Writer
Resting Place:Church of St Margaret, Queen Charlton
Spouse:
    Children:3
    Period:1978–2007
    Genre:Children's novels, picture books
    Notableworks:The Sheep-Pig

    Ronald Gordon King-Smith OBE (27 March 1922 – 4 January 2011)[1] was an English writer of children's books, primarily using the pen name Dick King-Smith. He is best known for The Sheep-Pig (1983). It was adapted as the movie Babe (1995) and translations have been published in fifteen languages.[2] He was awarded an Honorary Master of Education degree by the University of the West of England in 1999[3] and appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.[4]

    Early life, military service

    King-Smith was born on 27 March 1922 in Bitton, Gloucestershire and grew up in the West Country. His father was Captain Ronald King-Smith DSO MC, who ran several paper mills. King-Smith was educated at Beaudesert Park School and Marlborough College.[1] He was a soldier in World War II, serving with the Grenadier Guards in Italy, and a farmer for 20 years before he became a teacher at Farmborough Primary School and author. King-Smith's first book was The Fox Busters, published in 1978 while he was living and teaching in Farmborough.

    In 1941, at the age of 19, King-Smith enlisted as a recruit in the Grenadier Guards, and was subsequently commissioned into the Grandier Guards in December 1942.[5] As a young platoon commander in September 1943, he took part in the Salerno Landings in Italy. On arrival in Salerno, his platoon fought their way up Italy, along with many others, which took months. On 12 July 1944, King-Smith was seriously injured by a British hand grenade thrown by a German soldier. He was only saved from certain death because he was sheltering behind a tree, which took the brunt of the explosion. He suffered extensive sharp wounds, and later, when he was back in England, a cerebral embolism, either of which could have killed him. He relinquished his commission in June 1946, "on account of disability",[6] and returned to farming.

    Personal life

    King-Smith met his wife, Myrle, on Christmas Day 1936. They were both 14. They were married at St. Mary's Church, Bitton, on 6 February 1943. They had three children: Juliet, Giles and Liz.[1] Myrle died in 2000, and King-Smith subsequently married Zona Bedding, a family friend.[7] He presented a feature on animals on TV-AM's children's programme Rub-a-Dub-Tub (1983).[8]

    Death

    King-Smith died on 4 January 2011 at his home near Bath, Somerset at the age of 88. He was survived by his 3 children, 14 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild.[9]

    Awards

    King-Smith and The Sheep-Pig won the 1984 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, a once-in-a-lifetime book award judged by a panel of British children writers.

    Works

    Adaptations

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. News: The Guardian. London . Dick King-Smith obituary . Julia . Eccleshare . 5 January 2011 . 5 January 2011.
    2. http://www.worldcat.org/title/sheep-pig/oclc/758411081/editions?cookie=&start_edition=1&sd=desc&se=yr&referer=di&qt=show_more_ln%3A&editionsView=true&fq=&fc=ln%3A_25 "Formats and Editions of The sheep-pig"
    3. Web site: Honorary Graduates of the University of the West of England . University of the West of England . 5 January 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110811031112/http://acreg.uwe.ac.uk/hgotuotwoe.asp . 11 August 2011 .
    4. News: Patrick Stewart leads arts honours with a knighthood . BBC News . 31 December 2009 . 5 January 2011.
    5. 29 January 1943 . London Gazette . Supplement to the London Gazette.
    6. 28 June 1946 . SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 28 JUNE, 1946 . Supplement to the London Gazette . 37630.
    7. Web site: Animal Magic . The Herald (heraldscotland.com) . 2 February 2008 . 5 January 2011.
    8. Web site: Rub-a-Dub-Tub . . 15 October 2011.
    9. News: Babe creator Dick King-Smith dies aged 88 . BBC News . 5 January 2011 . 6 January 2011.

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