'Bartholomew Bandy' books by Donald Jack

[Mark Hone]

By chance, I have discovered that Donald Jack was an old boy of Bury Grammar School. I confess that I had never heard of his 'Bartholomew Bandy' books, which are, or were, apparently well-known in Canada. They seem to be comedy-dramas and in the first few, of what is quite a long sequence of novels published from 1962 onwards, Bandy is an RFC pilot. I've never read them, although prima facie they appear to have something in common with the Flashman books of George MacDonald Fraser. I could find only one brief previous reference to them on the GWF. They seem to be regarded as quintessentially Canadian, although Jack only emigrated in 1951 following wartime service in the RAF. Donald Jack died in 2003. Has any Forum Pal read them?

[Paul bardell]

Mark

Yes, I read these many years ago, and would advise you to track down the first 4 in the series.

From memory they start with Bandy in the army at the Somme, falling out with his C.O. after a Trench raid goes wrong (too much brandy in his water bottle) and his transfer to the RFC.

The flying is well done and the story progresses up to 1918 with him on the Sopwith Dolphin, before being posted to Russia.

I must track down my paperbacks of these, and re read them, I last saw them over 25 years ago, and I think they are in the loft, but will wait for warmer weather, as its too cold up there at the moment.

In short well worth looking out for.

B. R.

Paul

[woollamc]

Not sure if they are still in print but I downloaded the first in the series from Amazon a couple of years ago and much enjoyed it. More Brigadier Gerard than Harry Flashman, I would say.

C

[JOHN BALL]

Quite a few of the above books are available as paperbacks on the Amazon site. Titles include "Hitler vs Me"&"Stalin vs Me". Prices vary from under £1, to just over £300.??

John

[Mark Hone]

I shall try to locate at least the earlier ones to read.