Oswald Wynd
Encyclopedia
Oswald Wynd was a Scottish
writer, born in Tokyo
of parents who had left their native Perth
to run a mission in Japan
.
He attended schools in Japan where he grew up speaking both English and Japanese. In 1932 he returned with his parents to Scotland, and studied at the University of Edinburgh
and began to write novels. When World War II
came he joined the Scots Guards
but was then commissioned into the Intelligence Corps and sent to Malaya
. At the time of the Japanese invasion, he was attached to the Indian Army on the east coast of Malaya, and his brigade covered the final withdrawal to Singapore
. Cut off by the Japanese advance, he was lost alone for a week in the Johor
jungle. Eventually he was captured and spent more than three years as a prisoner of war
, during which time he was mentioned in dispatches for his work as an interpreter for prisoners.
In Hokkaidō
, during the last year of the war, he began a novel, Black Fountains, which in 1947 won the Doubleday Prize.
After the war he returned to Scotland, via the Philippines
, having now spent some twenty-three years of his life in the Far East
. He lived in Scotland until his death in 1998 writing, among other books, the much admired The Ginger Tree and a series of highly successful thrillers under the pseudonym of 'Gavin Black'.
In the late 1980s The Ginger Tree was turned into a television series by the BBC
, with NHK
, Japan and WGBH Boston
, starring Samantha Bond as the protagonist.
Fantasy
Thrillers by 'Gavin Black':
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
writer, born in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
of parents who had left their native Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
to run a mission in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
He attended schools in Japan where he grew up speaking both English and Japanese. In 1932 he returned with his parents to Scotland, and studied at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
and began to write novels. When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
came he joined the Scots Guards
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
but was then commissioned into the Intelligence Corps and sent to Malaya
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia , also known as West Malaysia , is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula. Its area is . It shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore. Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra...
. At the time of the Japanese invasion, he was attached to the Indian Army on the east coast of Malaya, and his brigade covered the final withdrawal to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Cut off by the Japanese advance, he was lost alone for a week in the Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
jungle. Eventually he was captured and spent more than three years as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
, during which time he was mentioned in dispatches for his work as an interpreter for prisoners.
In Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, during the last year of the war, he began a novel, Black Fountains, which in 1947 won the Doubleday Prize.
After the war he returned to Scotland, via the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, having now spent some twenty-three years of his life in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
. He lived in Scotland until his death in 1998 writing, among other books, the much admired The Ginger Tree and a series of highly successful thrillers under the pseudonym of 'Gavin Black'.
In the late 1980s The Ginger Tree was turned into a television series by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, with NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
, Japan and WGBH Boston
WGBH-TV
WGBH-TV, channel 2, is a non-commercial educational public television station located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WGBH-TV is a member station of the Public Broadcasting Service , and produces more than two-thirds of PBS's national prime time television programming...
, starring Samantha Bond as the protagonist.
Books
Mainstream novels by Oswald Wynd:- The Black Fountains (1947)
- The Ginger Tree (1977) William Collins Sons & Co., London.
Fantasy
- When Ape Was King (1949)
Thrillers by 'Gavin Black':
- Night Run From Java
- A Moon for Killers
- A Big Wind for Summer, also published as Gale Force
- The Golden Cockatrice
- The Bitter Tea
- The Cold Jungle
- Dead Man Calling
- A Dragon for Christmas
- The Eyes Around Me
- The Fatal Shadow
- Do you Want to Die, Johnny?
- A Wind of Death
- A Time for Pirates
External links
- Eland Books Specialists in classic travel literature and publishers of The Ginger Tree