H. C. McNeile
Encyclopedia
Cyril McNeile MC
(28 September 1888 - 14 August 1937) was a British author, who published under the pen name
Sapper.
He was one of the most successful British popular authors of the Interwar period
; his principal character was Bulldog Drummond
.
in Cornwall
. His father was Malcolm McNeile, a Captain in the Royal Navy
and, at the time, governor of the naval prison at Bodmin.
He was educated at Cheltenham College
and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He was commissioned into the Royal Engineers
in 1907 and was sent to France in 1914 when World War I
broke out. McNeile saw action at both the First
and the Second Battle of Ypres
. He displayed considerable bravery, was awarded the Military Cross
and was mentioned in dispatches
.
It is thought that McNeile's first work was published before the First World War, but this is difficult to verify as serving officers in the British Army were not permitted to publish under their own names except during their half-pay sabbaticals
, leading to many works being published under pseudonyms such as McNeile's "Sapper
." His first known published works were a series of short war stories based on his own experiences, published under the name Sapper in the Daily Mail
and in The War Illustrated
.
These stories were immediately successful and later sold over 200,000 copies within a year when republished in book form. His writing caught the public mood at the time - it was grimly realistic enough to seem authentic, yet managed to conceal the horrific reality of trench warfare
and life at the front line. Lord Northcliff
, the owner of the Daily Mail, was so impressed by this writing that he attempted, but failed, to have McNeile released from the army so he could work as a war correspondent. In 1919, McNeile resigned from the army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
and became a full-time author, publishing his first novel, Mufti, in that year. In 1922, he moved to Sussex
and lived there for the rest of his life.
He is mainly remembered as the author of the ten Bulldog Drummond
books, the first of which was published in 1920. These brought him public recognition and considerable financial success. The first book was adapted for the stage and produced, to great success, at Wyndham's Theatre
during the 1921-1922 season with Gerald du Maurier
playing the main character. The film rights to the 1929 Bulldog Drummond film
are reputed to have earned McNeile $750,000. However, the bulk of his work was in the form of short stories that were published in various popular monthly magazines. At his peak, in the 1920s, he was the highest paid short story writer in the world. He specialized in the twist in the tail and many of his stories upended the reader's expectations in the final paragraph, sometimes in the final few sentences. Most of his books were short story collections.
McNeile had married Peggy Baird-Douglas and had two sons. He was an unremittingly hearty man, who even his friend and collaborator Gerard Fairlie
described as "not everybody's cup of tea". He died on 14 August 1937 at his home in Pulborough
, West Sussex. His funeral, with military honours, took place at Woking crematorium.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(28 September 1888 - 14 August 1937) was a British author, who published under the pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Sapper.
He was one of the most successful British popular authors of the Interwar period
Interwar period
Interwar period can refer to any period between two wars. The Interbellum is understood to be the period between the end of the Great War or First World War and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe....
; his principal character was Bulldog Drummond
Bulldog Drummond
Bulldog Drummond is a British fictional character, created by "Sapper", a pseudonym of Herman Cyril McNeile , and the hero of a series of novels published from 1920 to 1954.- Drummond :...
.
Biography
Cyril McNeile was born in 1888 at BodminBodmin
Bodmin is a civil parish and major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated in the centre of the county southwest of Bodmin Moor.The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. His father was Malcolm McNeile, a Captain in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and, at the time, governor of the naval prison at Bodmin.
He was educated at Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He was commissioned into the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
in 1907 and was sent to France in 1914 when World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out. McNeile saw action at both the First
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
and the Second Battle of Ypres
Second Battle of Ypres
The Second Battle of Ypres was the first time Germany used poison gas on a large scale on the Western Front in the First World War and the first time a former colonial force pushed back a major European power on European soil, which occurred in the battle of St...
. He displayed considerable bravery, was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
and was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
.
It is thought that McNeile's first work was published before the First World War, but this is difficult to verify as serving officers in the British Army were not permitted to publish under their own names except during their half-pay sabbaticals
Half-pay
In the British Army and Royal Navy of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, half-pay referred to the pay or allowance an officer received when in retirement or not in actual service....
, leading to many works being published under pseudonyms such as McNeile's "Sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
." His first known published works were a series of short war stories based on his own experiences, published under the name Sapper in the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
and in The War Illustrated
The War Illustrated
The War Illustrated was a British war magazine published in London by William Berry . It was first released on 22 August 1914, eighteen days after the United Kingdom declared war on Germany, and regular issues continued throughout World War I...
.
These stories were immediately successful and later sold over 200,000 copies within a year when republished in book form. His writing caught the public mood at the time - it was grimly realistic enough to seem authentic, yet managed to conceal the horrific reality of trench warfare
Trench warfare
Trench warfare is a form of occupied fighting lines, consisting largely of trenches, in which troops are largely immune to the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery...
and life at the front line. Lord Northcliff
Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe
Alfred Charles William Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe rose from childhood poverty to become a powerful British newspaper and publishing magnate, famed for buying stolid, unprofitable newspapers and transforming them to make them lively and entertaining for the mass market.His company...
, the owner of the Daily Mail, was so impressed by this writing that he attempted, but failed, to have McNeile released from the army so he could work as a war correspondent. In 1919, McNeile resigned from the army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and became a full-time author, publishing his first novel, Mufti, in that year. In 1922, he moved to Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
and lived there for the rest of his life.
He is mainly remembered as the author of the ten Bulldog Drummond
Bulldog Drummond
Bulldog Drummond is a British fictional character, created by "Sapper", a pseudonym of Herman Cyril McNeile , and the hero of a series of novels published from 1920 to 1954.- Drummond :...
books, the first of which was published in 1920. These brought him public recognition and considerable financial success. The first book was adapted for the stage and produced, to great success, at Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by the actor/manager Charles Wyndham . Located on Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, it was designed by W.G.R. Sprague about 1898, the architect of six other London theatres between then and 1916...
during the 1921-1922 season with Gerald du Maurier
Gerald du Maurier
Sir Gerald Hubert Edward Busson du Maurier was an English actor and manager. He was the son of the writer George du Maurier and brother of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies. In 1902, he married the actress Muriel Beaumont with whom he had three daughters: Angela du Maurier , Daphne du Maurier and Jeanne...
playing the main character. The film rights to the 1929 Bulldog Drummond film
Bulldog Drummond (1929 film)
Bulldog Drummond is a detective film which tells the story of Captain Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond, a British officer bored with civilian life, who investigates an extortion case for a beautiful girl. The film stars Ronald Colman, Claud Allister, Lawrence Grant, Montagu Love, Wilson Benge, Joan...
are reputed to have earned McNeile $750,000. However, the bulk of his work was in the form of short stories that were published in various popular monthly magazines. At his peak, in the 1920s, he was the highest paid short story writer in the world. He specialized in the twist in the tail and many of his stories upended the reader's expectations in the final paragraph, sometimes in the final few sentences. Most of his books were short story collections.
McNeile had married Peggy Baird-Douglas and had two sons. He was an unremittingly hearty man, who even his friend and collaborator Gerard Fairlie
Gerard Fairlie
Francis Gerard Luis Fairlie was an English author and scriptwriter on whom Sapper based the character of Bulldog Drummond...
described as "not everybody's cup of tea". He died on 14 August 1937 at his home in Pulborough
Pulborough
Pulborough is a large village and civil parish in the Horsham district of West Sussex, England, with some 5,000 inhabitants. It is located almost centrally within West Sussex and is south west of London. It is at the junction of the north-south A29 and the east-west roads.The village is near the...
, West Sussex. His funeral, with military honours, took place at Woking crematorium.
Works
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External links
- Images of the original dust wrappers on Sapper's Great War books.
- Portraits of McNeile at the National Portrait Gallery (London).