A real life Higgins?
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 6:36 pm
I have always thought Higgins military record, achievements and VC were a little over the top. Nobody could have served in so many theatres in the war not to mention MI6 and his other post war services. Of course this is all after his being sent down from Sandhurst and having to work his way up as an NCO. Incredible! Nonetheless, I love the character; he is very amusing, and this is TV after all.
What if I told you there is a man who made it through Sandhurst, served in the 30s on the Northwest Frontier commanding Gurkha rifles and later served in WW2 in Iraq, Syria and Persia (Iran)? He then was tranferred to Burma to head up a Chindit unit. While in this role, he had to agonize over and finally execute 19 of his own hospitalized men, to prevent their falling into Japanese hands, upon a withdrawal from a remote area in which they were under attack for days. He served in India at the end of the War, during the waning days of the Raj. He then moved to the United States (not Hawaii) and took up writing under his real surname MASTERS. He published over 20 novels and a few nonfiction that were basically his memoirs. Although not a VC, he did earn a DSO (also instituted by Queen Victoria). Does this not sound a little like our beloved Higgy Baby with the added twist that he is also Robin?
I love Military History. About 10 years ago I picked up a book entitled 'Bugles and a Tiger'. It's about the NW frontier and the Gurkhas, and is semi-autobiographical. The author was John Masters. I then read his most famous fiction novel, Bhowani Junction, which has a campy flavour and was made into a movie starring Ave Gardner.
I never made any connection for years, but recently wondered if John Masters was an inspiration for the creators of MPI. Has anyone heard of any connection?
More info is available of course on Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Masters
What if I told you there is a man who made it through Sandhurst, served in the 30s on the Northwest Frontier commanding Gurkha rifles and later served in WW2 in Iraq, Syria and Persia (Iran)? He then was tranferred to Burma to head up a Chindit unit. While in this role, he had to agonize over and finally execute 19 of his own hospitalized men, to prevent their falling into Japanese hands, upon a withdrawal from a remote area in which they were under attack for days. He served in India at the end of the War, during the waning days of the Raj. He then moved to the United States (not Hawaii) and took up writing under his real surname MASTERS. He published over 20 novels and a few nonfiction that were basically his memoirs. Although not a VC, he did earn a DSO (also instituted by Queen Victoria). Does this not sound a little like our beloved Higgy Baby with the added twist that he is also Robin?
I love Military History. About 10 years ago I picked up a book entitled 'Bugles and a Tiger'. It's about the NW frontier and the Gurkhas, and is semi-autobiographical. The author was John Masters. I then read his most famous fiction novel, Bhowani Junction, which has a campy flavour and was made into a movie starring Ave Gardner.
I never made any connection for years, but recently wondered if John Masters was an inspiration for the creators of MPI. Has anyone heard of any connection?
More info is available of course on Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Masters