Alexander Gault MacGowan
Encyclopedia
Alexander Gault MacGowan (7 February 1894 — 30 November 1970) was a leading war correspondent
during World War II
. Born to Scottish parents in Manchester, England, he was educated at Manchester Grammar School
. MacGowan served with the British army in India during WWI. On May 23, 1923, he received a lieutenant's commission in the 8th Light Calvary of the Army in India Reserve of Officers. From 1929 to 1934, while he was the editor of the Trinidad Guardian
, MacGowan hired Seepersad Naipaul, the father of Nobel prize-winning V. S. Naipaul
, to write features for that newspaper. In October, 1934, MacGowan began a sixteen-year stint with The Sun of New York, later known as the New York World-Telegram and Sun. He rose from correspondent to become managing editor of The Suns European Bureau after the war.
Before the war, MacGowan won a Selfridge Award in 1932 for an article about Devil's Island
in the Times of London. Later, he covered the coronation of George VI, the Spanish Civil War
, and spent time in Morocco
with the French Foreign Legion
(1937).
During World War II, MacGowan continued writing for The Sun, covering the Battle of Britain
, the disastrous Dieppe raid
(in which he wrote about dive bomber strafing and depth charges around his ship), and reporting later from North Africa. There Ernie Pyle
referred to him as the "oldest" correspondent, fearlessly popping up from his foxhole to interview soldiers between incoming rounds. After the defeat of Rommel in Africa, MacGowan transferred to Italy, and in 1944 covered the D-Day
landings in northern France. On August 15, 1944, he had one of his closest brushes with death as he was captured, along with a couple of other correspondents, by two German light tanks firing machine guns at them. His friend William Makin, on the jeep with him, was critically wounded. MacGowan's capture was reported in daily newspapers in London, New York and elsewhere around the world. The New York Times headline read, "MacGowan of Sun Captured in France; Nazis Report Companion Hurt in ‘Scrape’". A couple of days later, he eluded his captors by leaping from a prisoner-of-war train in the middle of the night. In April and May of 1945 he gave The Sun eye-witness reports of the liberation of the Buchenwald and Dachau
death camps.
After the war, MacGowan worked as European Bureau chief of The Sun until the newspaper was sold to the New York World-Telegram in January, 1950. The World-Telegram and Sun dropped all nonunion Sun employees after a strike that began in January, 1950, among them MacGowan. He then became a European correspondent for the North American Newspaper Alliance
, also starting a venture of his own with the production of a series of small guidebooks for tourists, such as “Heidelberg Confidential,” and “Switzerland Confidential.” In 1956 he began to devote all his efforts to writing and publishing the travel newspaper, European Life, first in Munich
, then after 1963 in Heidelberg
.
MacGowan died on November 30, 1970, as a result of the complications of osteoporosis
.
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
during 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...
. Born to Scottish parents in Manchester, England, he was educated at Manchester Grammar School
Manchester Grammar School
The Manchester Grammar School is the largest independent day school for boys in the UK . It is based in Manchester, England...
. MacGowan served with the British army in India during WWI. On May 23, 1923, he received a lieutenant's commission in the 8th Light Calvary of the Army in India Reserve of Officers. From 1929 to 1934, while he was the editor of the Trinidad Guardian
Trinidad Guardian
The T&T Guardian is the oldest daily newspaper in Trinidad and Tobago. Founded in 1917, the Guardian is published by the Trinidad Publishing Company. The newspaper was published as a broadsheet since inception but changed to tabloid format, known as the "G-sized Guardian", in November 2002...
, MacGowan hired Seepersad Naipaul, the father of Nobel prize-winning V. S. Naipaul
V. S. Naipaul
Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad "V. S." Naipaul, TC is a Nobel prize-winning Indo-Trinidadian-British writer who is known for his novels focusing on the legacy of the British Empire's colonialism...
, to write features for that newspaper. In October, 1934, MacGowan began a sixteen-year stint with The Sun of New York, later known as the New York World-Telegram and Sun. He rose from correspondent to become managing editor of The Suns European Bureau after the war.
Before the war, MacGowan won a Selfridge Award in 1932 for an article about Devil's Island
Devil's Island
Devil's Island is the smallest and northernmost island of the three Îles du Salut located about 6 nautical miles off the coast of French Guiana . It has an area of 14 ha . It was a small part of the notorious French penal colony in French Guiana until 1952...
in the Times of London. Later, he covered the coronation of George VI, the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, and spent time in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
with the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
(1937).
During World War II, MacGowan continued writing for The Sun, covering the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
, the disastrous Dieppe raid
Dieppe Raid
The Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
(in which he wrote about dive bomber strafing and depth charges around his ship), and reporting later from North Africa. There Ernie Pyle
Ernie Pyle
Ernest Taylor Pyle was an American journalist who wrote as a roving correspondent for the Scripps Howard newspaper chain from 1935 until his death in combat during World War II. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1944...
referred to him as the "oldest" correspondent, fearlessly popping up from his foxhole to interview soldiers between incoming rounds. After the defeat of Rommel in Africa, MacGowan transferred to Italy, and in 1944 covered the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
landings in northern France. On August 15, 1944, he had one of his closest brushes with death as he was captured, along with a couple of other correspondents, by two German light tanks firing machine guns at them. His friend William Makin, on the jeep with him, was critically wounded. MacGowan's capture was reported in daily newspapers in London, New York and elsewhere around the world. The New York Times headline read, "MacGowan of Sun Captured in France; Nazis Report Companion Hurt in ‘Scrape’". A couple of days later, he eluded his captors by leaping from a prisoner-of-war train in the middle of the night. In April and May of 1945 he gave The Sun eye-witness reports of the liberation of the Buchenwald and Dachau
Dachau
Dachau is a town in Upper Bavaria, in the southern part of Germany. It is a major district town—a Große Kreisstadt—of the administrative region of Upper Bavaria, about 20 km north-west of Munich. It is now a popular residential area for people working in Munich with roughly 40,000 inhabitants...
death camps.
After the war, MacGowan worked as European Bureau chief of The Sun until the newspaper was sold to the New York World-Telegram in January, 1950. The World-Telegram and Sun dropped all nonunion Sun employees after a strike that began in January, 1950, among them MacGowan. He then became a European correspondent for the North American Newspaper Alliance
North American Newspaper Alliance
The North American Newspaper Alliance was a large newspaper syndicate that flourished between 1922 and 1980.Founded by John Neville Wheeler, NANA employed some of the most noted writing talents of its time, including Grantland Rice, Joseph Alsop, Michael Stern, Lothrop Stoddard, Dorothy Thompson,...
, also starting a venture of his own with the production of a series of small guidebooks for tourists, such as “Heidelberg Confidential,” and “Switzerland Confidential.” In 1956 he began to devote all his efforts to writing and publishing the travel newspaper, European Life, first in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, then after 1963 in Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
.
MacGowan died on November 30, 1970, as a result of the complications of osteoporosis
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered...
.