The Exbury Junkers: A World War II Mystery - Part VII
By: John Stanley
Those of you who have read "Requiem for a Wren" may remember the scene when Janet Prentice visits the crash site at Exbury and witnesses the terrible devastation which her actions have brought about. At one point, Shute describes how a Navy serviceman, whom he refers to as a subaltern, covers up the bodies of the dead men with two parachutes. Well, the subaltern's actions in the novel were doubtless based on the real-life actions of a man by the name of George James, a telegraphist with Combined Operations Bombardment Unit, who had hurriedly covered up some of the bodies as he could see civilians, including children, making their way along the narrow Lower Exbury road towards the crash site. George was recently amazed to learn that he had been given a cameo role as a subaltern in the novel, and he commented: " it was nice of Nevil to promote me."
The fact that this wartime incident provided Nevil Shute with such lasting inspiration for a novel (bearing in mind that the book was published eleven years after the event) is surely testimony to its truly enigmatic quality. And there can be no doubt that the blurring of fiction and fact in "Requiem for a Wren" has served to romanticise still further the real-life mystery of the Exbury Junkers. As if to re-inforce that point, at least one eyewitness account of the Junkes crash that I came across had been influenced in some way by Nevil Shute's fictional version.
The Nevil Shute Norway Foundation is a truly international community of Nevil Shute enthusiasts and they held their annual conference in the UK last summer. There were attendees from several countries including Britain, America and Australia, and on one of the days they visited Exbury because of its associations with the writer and his novel "Requiem for a Wren". The delegates were given a guided tour of the Gardens, and treated to a cream tea on the verandah of Exbury House, on what was a lovely Summer afternoon. I was delighted to be asked to brief them on the facts behind the fiction in "Requiem for a Wren". I am grateful to the Foundation for taking such an interest in my work, and I'm delighted that several Foundation members could make it here today. David Dawson-Taylor and his wife Kate, and also Martyn Dryden - who is actually featured in one of the photographs in my book. You are most welcome.
We've still not quite done with Nevil Shute's connection with the German bomber mystery. The original Heinemann editions of Shute's novels had some very distinctive covers. On the display board over there, you may have seen a picture of the dust-jacket of "Requiem for a Wren". The artwork was done back in the 1950's by a gentleman by the name of Val Biro. If you have had children or grandchildren, this name may sound familiar to you since Val Biro has written and illustrated a number of children's books, including the famous Gumdrop series about his car called Gumdrop. It's a real pleasure to be able to welcome Val and his wife here today. After lunch, we're going to ask Val to say a few words about his association with Nevil Shute, and his work on the covers of "Requiem for a Wren"and other Shute novels. I'm sure this will befascinating. Val has also brought with him some of his original artwork for the Nevil Shute novels, and you are welcome to take a look at this. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Val for allowing me to reproduce the front cover of "Requiem for a Wren "in my book, and of course we're delighted that he could be with us today.
