John Mulgan
Encyclopedia
John Alan Edward Mulgan was a New Zealand writer, journalist and editor, and the elder son of journalist and writer Alan Mulgan. His profound influence on New Zealand literature and identity grew in the years after his death. He is best known for his novel Man Alone (1939).
Mulgan held leftish political views and was alarmed by the rise of fascism
in Europe and the response of the British government to it. In 1936, he was an observer for the New Zealand government at the League of Nations
in Geneva. During this time, he wrote a series of articles on foreign affairs, titled "Behind the Cables", for the Auckland Star newspaper.
His view that war in Europe was inevitable, led Mulgan to join the Territorial Army in 1938, and he was made second lieutenant in an infantry regiment.
Posted to the Middle East in 1942, Mulgan was promoted to major and made second-in-command of his regiment. He saw action at Alamein
and fought alongside the New Zealand Expeditionary Force
. He was impressed by the calibre of his compatriots and found meeting New Zealanders after being in England for so long to be a kind of "homecoming".
In 1943, Mulgan joined the Special Operations Executive
and was sent to Greece to coordinate guerrilla action against the German forces. He was awarded the Military Cross
for his actions. After the German withdrawal in 1944, Mulgan oversaw British compensation to Greek families who had helped the Allied forces.
In the evening of Anzac Day
1945, Mulgan intentionally took an overdose of morphine. Speculation remains as to why he committed suicide. He is buried at Heliopolis military cemetery in Cairo. Mulgan was survived by his wife Gabrielle (married 1937) and son Richard (born 1940).
Life
Gifted both academically and athletically, Mulgan studied at Auckland University College, before attending Merton College, Oxford. He was awarded a first in English in 1935 and subsequently took up a position at the Clarendon Press.Mulgan held leftish political views and was alarmed by the rise of fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
in Europe and the response of the British government to it. In 1936, he was an observer for the New Zealand government at the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
in Geneva. During this time, he wrote a series of articles on foreign affairs, titled "Behind the Cables", for the Auckland Star newspaper.
His view that war in Europe was inevitable, led Mulgan to join the Territorial Army in 1938, and he was made second lieutenant in an infantry regiment.
Posted to the Middle East in 1942, Mulgan was promoted to major and made second-in-command of his regiment. He saw action at Alamein
Alamein
Alamein can refer to:*El Alamein, a town in Egypt*First and Second Battle of El Alamein, during World War II*Alamein railway line, Melbourne, Australia**Alamein railway station on the line*HMS Alamein, a destroyer of the Royal Navy...
and fought alongside the New Zealand Expeditionary Force
New Zealand Expeditionary Force
The New Zealand Expeditionary Force was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight for Britain during World War I and World War II. Ultimately, the NZEF of World War I was known as the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force...
. He was impressed by the calibre of his compatriots and found meeting New Zealanders after being in England for so long to be a kind of "homecoming".
In 1943, Mulgan joined the Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
and was sent to Greece to coordinate guerrilla action against the German forces. He was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for his actions. After the German withdrawal in 1944, Mulgan oversaw British compensation to Greek families who had helped the Allied forces.
In the evening of Anzac Day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
1945, Mulgan intentionally took an overdose of morphine. Speculation remains as to why he committed suicide. He is buried at Heliopolis military cemetery in Cairo. Mulgan was survived by his wife Gabrielle (married 1937) and son Richard (born 1940).
Published works
- Poems of Freedom (editor, London, Victor Gollancz, 1938)
- The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Literature by Sir Paul Harvey (abridged and edited, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1939)
- The Emigrants: Early Travellers to the Antipodes (with Hector Bolitho, London, Selwyn and Blount, 1939)
- Man Alone (London, Selwyn and Blount, 1939)
- Report on Experience (London, Oxford University Press, 1947)
- Introduction to English Literature (with D. M. Davin, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1947)