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1912
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Shute's father is made head of the Irish Post Office. The Norway family moves to
Dublin to a house called South Hill at 91 Mount Merrion Ave Blackrock. 10 miles
south of Dublin, it is set in 13 acres, has a walled garden, stables and glass houses.
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1912
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June 13: Shute was 5st 11oz (about 71 Pounds or 32 Kg) and 5ft, 1/4" (153cm).
By age 13 Shute had already made several aeroplane models.
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1913
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At 14 Shute's name appears in the Dragon School magazine for swimming and diving.
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1913
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Shute Plays a serving girl in the Dragon School play "The Taming of the Shrew".
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1913
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Shute Goes to Shrewsbury School. He is in Oldham's House.
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1914
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September: Mr Norway buys Shute and Fred new Rudge Multi motor bicycle for 60 Pounds.
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1914
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August 04: World War One begins.
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1914
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October: Shute's brother Fred enters Sandhurst Military Academy.
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1915
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April: Fred is commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd battalion of The Duke of
Cornwalls Light Infantry.
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1915
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Easter: Fred is posted to France. Shute rides the Rudge Multi from Falmouth to Holy
head in 4 days and in 1953 couldn't say why it took so long.
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1915
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June 13: Shute's brother Fred, aged 19, is wounded at Epinette near Armentierres
and evacuated to Wimereux where he dies on Sunday July 04 with his parents at his
side. He is buried at Wimereux Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. His grave
reference is III.0.5.
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1915
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Autumn: Shute holidays with his parents in Italy at Capri and Naples. His parents
have given up the house at Blackrock. Shute travels back alone by train through
wartime France. This trip builds his confidence.
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1916
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Easter: At the outbreak of the Irish Rebellion Shute's father is away when
the rebels take over the GPO. Shute was in Sackville St, now O'Connell St, 10
minutes after it started and later, joining the Royal Irish Automobile Club's
Ambulance team, helps collect the wounded.
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1916
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Christmas: Shute attends a London cramming school for 6 months study for the
Army exams. He is living with his parents who have moved to Kensington. His
parents buy him the roll top desk on which Shute writes all his novels.
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1917
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Summer: Shute passes into Royal Military Academy at Woolwich.
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1918
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April: The Royal Air Force is formed and requires new medical tests. Shute
fails his test because of his stammer.
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1918
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Shute enlists in the First Reserve Battalion of The Suffolk Regiment at The
Isle of Grain at The mouth of the Thames. The war ends before he can see active service.
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1918
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November 11: World War One ends.
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1918
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November: Shute is interviewed for Balliol College, Oxford and is admitted. His
Army service excuses him from matriculation and the interview is the only requirement
for his admission.
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1918
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Late: Shute is part of a permanent military funeral party for victims of the
worldwide influenza pandemic.
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1918
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December: Shute is trained to be a de-mobilisation clerk at Shornecliffe base
at Folkestone and then demobilises himself behind Dover Castle near the Bleriot
monument. While waiting to demobilise himself, Shute spends hours studying and
sitting in a disused Sopwith Camel biplane.
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1919
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1919 February: Shute attends Oxford and is at Balliol College. He rows in
the college 2nd Eight.
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1919 - 22
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Shute buys a Morgan 3 wheeler.
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1919
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Oxford Summer Holidays: Shute sails in Mr Hepheard's yacht Aeolia. A Yawl of 28 Tons (Thames) kept in the Hamble River off Lukes Yard. Luke's Yard and Hamble then appear in his books to the end.
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1919
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September: Shute becomes engaged to an unidentified fellow student "of
an intelligent family" who is at Lady Margaret Hall. The engagement lasts
two and a half years but as they have no money they can't afford to marry.
The engagement was a very happy time for Shute.
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1919 - 20
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Oxford Winter Holidays: Shute is introduced to Airco by aero engineer C.C. Walker. Shute works unpaid at Airco in the design office and doing wind tunnel research.
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1920
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Oxford Summer Holidays: Shute again sails with Mr Hepheard in the 11 ton Rothion and also works at Airco at Hendon.
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1920
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Christmas: Shute Holidays with his parents on the Italian Riviera.
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