Eric Newby facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eric Newby
Born	(1919-12-06)6 December 1919 Hammersmith, London
Died	20 October 2006(2006-10-20) (aged 86) Guildford, Surrey
Occupation	Author, travel writer
Nationality	British
Period	1956–99
Genre	History, travel, non-fiction,
Subject	India, Middle East, Britain, Europe, Afghanistan
Spouse	Wanda (née Skof)
Children	2 (Sonia and Jonathan)

George Eric Newby (born December 6, 1919 – died October 20, 2006) was a famous British travel writer. He wrote exciting books about his adventures around the world. Some of his most well-known books are A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, The Last Grain Race, and A Small Place in Italy.

Eric Newby's Early Life

Eric Newby was born in Barnes, London. He grew up close to Hammersmith Bridge in London. His father, George, worked in a clothing business. His mother, Hilda, used to be a model at Harrods. Eric went to St Paul's School.

After school, he worked for an advertising company for two years. In 1938, when he was 18, he started an amazing adventure. He became an apprentice on a large Finnish sailing ship called the Moshulu. He took part in the "grain race". This was a long journey from Australia to Europe. They sailed around Cape Horn, which is a very dangerous part of the sea. Eric later wrote about this trip in his book The Last Grain Race. He also showed pictures from the voyage in a book called Learning the Ropes.

Eric Newby's Time in the War

During the Second World War, Eric Newby joined the army. He became an officer in the Black Watch in 1940. Later, he served in the Rajput Regiment of the British Indian Army. In 1941, he spent six months in Fatehgarh, India. He studied to pass an Urdu language test. This test was needed to lead Indian troops.

After passing the test, he went to North Africa. He also served in the Special Boat Section. In August 1942, he was captured during a mission near Sicily. He was given the Military Cross award in 1946 for his bravery.

Eric was sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in Italy. It was called PG21, near Pescara. Later, he was moved to PG49 near Parma. He managed to escape with other British prisoners. This happened after Italy stopped fighting in the war.

Meeting Wanda

While hiding in the Apennine mountains, he met a brave woman named Wanda Skof. She was from Slovenia and was against the fascists. Wanda helped him hide from the enemy. After the war, Eric and Wanda got married. She became his partner on many travels.

Eric wrote about these experiences in his book Love and War in the Apennines. The book shows how ordinary Italian people helped him. A movie called In Love and War was made in 2001. It was based on his book. Eric was free until January 1944, when he was captured again.

Life After the War

After the war, Eric Newby worked in the women's fashion business for 17 years. But his love for adventure never left him. In 1956, he decided to climb Mir Samir. This is a mountain in the Hindu Kush range in Afghanistan. He went with his friend, Hugh Carless.

Eric wrote about this amazing trip in his book A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush. During this journey, he even met the famous English explorer Wilfred Thesiger. From 1964 to 1973, Eric Newby worked as the Travel Editor for The Observer newspaper.

Later Years and Achievements

In 1967, Eric and his wife Wanda started a new project. They began fixing up an old farmhouse in Italy. It was located in the foothills of the Apuan Alps. Eric wrote about their experiences renovating the house in his book A Small Place in Italy, published in 1995.

Eric Newby received an award called a CBE in 1994. In 2001, he won the Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Guild of Travel Writers. His life and work were shown on a TV show called The South Bank Show in 1994. He also made travel films for the BBC. In one film, he returned to Parma with Wanda. In another, he visited Istanbul, one of his favorite cities.

Eric's last book was A Book of Lands and Peoples. It came out in 2003. He passed away at the age of 86 in Guildford, Surrey.