Ralph Durand facts for kids

Ralph Anthony Durand (born September 7, 1876 – died December 20, 1945) was a talented British writer. He wrote many novels, short stories, and non-fiction books. His early adventures in Australia and Africa inspired much of his writing. Ralph Durand also served in two major wars. Later in life, he became a librarian in Guernsey. He is best known for his book Guernsey Under German Rule. This book shares his personal experiences during the German occupation of the Channel Islands in World War II.

Early Life and Adventures

Ralph Durand was born in Earley, England, on September 7, 1876. His father was a church leader. The Durand family came from Huguenots. These were French Protestants who found safety in Guernsey a long time ago.

When Ralph was eight, his father passed away. His mother moved the family to Guernsey. Ralph then went to Christ's Hospital, a boarding school.

At sixteen, Ralph left school. He traveled all the way to Australia. An aunt there offered to help him find work on a cattle ranch.

Working in Australia

When Ralph arrived in Sydney in 1892, his aunt thought he wasn't suited for ranch life. He was a "shy, clumsy dreamer" who wore glasses. So, she found him a job at a bank instead.

Eventually, she helped him get a trial job on a cattle ranch. But after six months, he was let go. Ralph spent five years in Australia. During this time, he tried many different jobs. He bought shares in a tin mine. He worked as a sheep shearer and a sugar cane worker. He even cooked for cattle drovers. He also worked for a farmer.

Finally, he found a job as a tutor for two boys. This gave him time to focus on his writing. He wrote poems, short stories, and articles. One of his articles was published in a newspaper called the Sydney Bulletin.

Adventures in Africa

In 1897, Ralph received some money. He used it to travel to Salisbury (now Harare, Zimbabwe). There, he started a business with his brother. They traded cattle between Nyasaland (now Malawi) and Salisbury.

Ralph left this business after getting very sick. After he recovered, he went to South Africa. He joined a group called Thornycroft's Mounted Infantry. He served with them in the Boer War.

After the war, he taught at Michaelhouse School for a year. Then, he returned to England. His goal was to become a full-time writer.

Family Life

Soon after returning from his travels, Ralph met Violet Picton Warlow. They got married in 1904. Violet came from a large family. Her sister, Edith Picton-Turbervill, later became one of the first women in the British Parliament.

In 1933, Ralph and Violet adopted Rosemary Edmondes. She was Violet's brother's granddaughter.

Writing Career

Ralph Durand wrote both fiction and non-fiction books.

Fiction Books

His first novel, John Temple, came out in 1911. It received many good reviews. His next novel, The Mind Healer, won second prize in a writing contest. It was also published in the United States. In 1928, he published two more novels: Set a Thief and Servants of the King. He also had many short stories printed in magazines.

Non-Fiction Books

In 1909, Ralph wrote Oxford: its Buildings and Gardens. In 1914, he published A Handbook to the Poetry of Rudyard Kipling. For this book, he wrote letters to the famous writer Rudyard Kipling. Kipling liked the book. It is still highly valued by people who study Kipling's work. Ralph also wrote articles for magazines, including a long story about his travels in Australia and Africa.

World War 1 Service

When World War I began in 1914, Ralph was 38 years old. Even so, he volunteered to join the army. He became a cook for the West Kent Yeomanry. In 1915, he became an officer in the 22nd (Kensington) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.

In 1916, he went to France. He fought in the Battle of the Somme. But he became ill and had to return to England. He then joined the new Royal Guernsey Light Infantry. He went back to France in 1917. However, he got sick again and was sent home. Doctors decided he was only fit for duties in England. He was given a desk job in MI5, a British intelligence agency. From there, he was sent to Italy. He stayed there for the rest of the war.

Ralph returned to London in early 1919. After another illness, he had an operation. He left the army in September 1919.

Becoming a Librarian

In 1929, Ralph Durand became the Librarian at the Priaulx Library in Guernsey. He continued to write and publish books. He also joined the Council of La Société Guernesiaise. This group studies Guernsey's history. He wrote articles about Guernsey's past for their journal.

World War 2 and Guernsey Under German Rule

In 1940, German forces occupied the Channel Islands. The leader of Guernsey, Victor Carey, asked Ralph Durand to keep a record of this time. Ralph's account focused on how the occupation affected the people living on the island. He wrote about the terrible shortages of fuel and food. These problems became much worse after D-Day. That's when the liberation of Normandy cut off German supplies to the island.

In 1942, radio sets were taken away by the Germans. Ralph then joined the Guernsey Underground News Service (GUNS). This group secretly shared copies of BBC news reports around the island. Ralph would hide a copy of each news sheet inside a special book in the library. Islanders could then read it in secret.

Ralph's book, Guernsey Under German Rule, was supposed to be published in late 1945. But it was delayed. First, there were shortages of printing materials after the war. Then, Ralph passed away in December 1945. The book was finally published in June 1946. Even though it quickly went out of print, it is seen as a very important record of that time.

Later Life and Passing

Ralph Durand passed away in December 1945. His health had become very weak. This was partly due to not having enough food during the last year of the occupation. He was buried in Candie Cemetery in St Peter Port, Guernsey.