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John Terraine

April 10, 2024

John Alfred Terraine, FRHistS (15 January 1921 – 28 December 2003[1]) was an English military historian and TV screenwriter. He is best known as the lead screenwriter for the landmark 1960s BBC-TV documentary The Great War, about the First World War, and for his defence of British General Douglas Haig – who commanded the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front from late 1915 until the end of the war – against charges that he was "The Butcher of the Somme".[2]

Early life and education edit

Terraine was born in London and was educated at Stamford School and Keble College, Oxford.[2]

Radio and television edit

After leaving Oxford in 1943, he joined BBC radio and continued to work for the BBC for 18 years, ending as its Pacific and South African Programme Organiser. After resigning from the BBC in 1961, Terraine worked as a freelance television screenwriter. Among other series, Terraine was associate producer and chief screenwriter of the 1963–64 BBC-TV documentary The Great War, and co-wrote its sequel The Lost Peace (1965). For Rediffusion and Thames Television he wrote The Life and Times of Lord Mountbatten (1966–68) and Lord Mountbatten: A Man for the Century (1969),[3] and later collaborated with Louis Mountbatten on an illustrated biography based on the series. Terraine found Mountbatten an impressive performer, but was intrigued by his "curious mix of boastfulness and diffidence".[2] Terraine wrote and narrated The Mighty Continent (1974–75), a 13-part BBC-TV history of Europe in the first three-quarters of the 20th century.[2]

Writing edit

Terraine had 16 books published, most of them dealing with aspects of the great European wars of the 20th century, and numerous articles and book reviews for The Daily Telegraph. His first major study of the First World War, Mons: The Retreat to Victory, was published in 1960. In 1964 Terraine edited a collection of diaries written by General James Lochhead Jack during the First World War, which became a best-seller in the United Kingdom. The Right of the Line: The Royal Air Force in the European War 1939–45 (1985) won the Yorkshire Post Book of the Year award. His last book, Business in Great Waters: The U-Boat Wars, 1916–1945 was published in 1989.[2]

Later career edit

Terraine was the founding president of the Western Front Association from 1980 to 1997, after which he became its patron. One obituarist wrote that for sheer scholarship, the quality and accessibility of his writing and for his debunking of historical myths, Terraine was one of the outstanding military historians of the 20th century.[1]

Terraine was for many years a member of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies. He was awarded the institute's Chesney Gold Medal in 1982. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 1987.[2]

Personal life and death edit

In 1945 Terraine married Joyce Waite; they had one daughter.[1]

Terraine died in London, aged 82.[1]

Works edit

  • Mons: The Retreat to Victory (New York: Macmillan, 1960, ISBN 9781840222432)
  • The Battle of Guise, August 1914 (History Today, 1960)
  • The Army in Modern France (History Today, 1961)
  • Douglas Haig: The Educated Soldier (1963)
  • Ordeal of Victory (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1963, ISBN 9780090681204)
  • General Jack's Diary 1914–1918: The Trench Diary of Brigadier-General J.L. Jack, D.S.O. (London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1964)
  • The Great War: A Pictorial History (New York: Macmillan, 1965)
  • Monash: Australian Commander (History Today, 1966)
  • The Life and Times of Lord Mountbatten (London: Hutchinson, 1968; new ed. 2013)
  • Impacts of War, 1914 & 1918 (1971, ISBN 9780850523171)
  • Democracy at War, Part I (History Today, 1971)
  • Democracy at War, Part II (History Today, 1971)
  • The Mighty Continent: A View of Europe in the Twentieth Century (1975)
  • Trafalgar (New York: Mason, Charter: 1976)
  • The Road to Passchendaele: The Flanders Offensive of 1917: A Study in Inevitability (London: Cooper, 1977)
  • To Win A War: 1918, the Year of Victory (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1978)
  • The Smoke and the Fire: Myths and Anti-Myths of War, 1861–1945 (London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1980)
  • White Heat: The New Warfare, 1914–18 (1982, ISBN 9780283988288)
  • The First World War: 1914–1918 (1984)
  • A Time for Courage: The Royal Air Force in the European War, 1939–1945 (1985, ISBN 9780026169707)
  • The Right of the Line: The Role of the RAF in World War Two (1985)
  • Business in Great Waters: The U-Boat Wars, 1916–1945 (1989, ISBN 9780850527605)
  • (Western Front Association, 1998)

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d John Terraine, The Independent, 23 January 2004
  2. ^ a b c d e f John Terraine, 31 December 2003. The Telegraph
  3. ^ "John Terraine" IMDb

April 10, 2024
john, terraine, john, alfred, terraine, frhists, january, 1921, december, 2003, english, military, historian, screenwriter, best, known, lead, screenwriter, landmark, 1960s, documentary, great, about, first, world, defence, british, general, douglas, haig, com. John Alfred Terraine FRHistS 15 January 1921 28 December 2003 1 was an English military historian and TV screenwriter He is best known as the lead screenwriter for the landmark 1960s BBC TV documentary The Great War about the First World War and for his defence of British General Douglas Haig who commanded the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front from late 1915 until the end of the war against charges that he was The Butcher of the Somme 2 Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Radio and television 3 Writing 4 Later career 5 Personal life and death 6 Works 7 ReferencesEarly life and education editTerraine was born in London and was educated at Stamford School and Keble College Oxford 2 Radio and television editAfter leaving Oxford in 1943 he joined BBC radio and continued to work for the BBC for 18 years ending as its Pacific and South African Programme Organiser After resigning from the BBC in 1961 Terraine worked as a freelance television screenwriter Among other series Terraine was associate producer and chief screenwriter of the 1963 64 BBC TV documentary The Great War and co wrote its sequel The Lost Peace 1965 For Rediffusion and Thames Television he wrote The Life and Times of Lord Mountbatten 1966 68 and Lord Mountbatten A Man for the Century 1969 3 and later collaborated with Louis Mountbatten on an illustrated biography based on the series Terraine found Mountbatten an impressive performer but was intrigued by his curious mix of boastfulness and diffidence 2 Terraine wrote and narrated The Mighty Continent 1974 75 a 13 part BBC TV history of Europe in the first three quarters of the 20th century 2 Writing editTerraine had 16 books published most of them dealing with aspects of the great European wars of the 20th century and numerous articles and book reviews for The Daily Telegraph His first major study of the First World War Mons The Retreat to Victory was published in 1960 In 1964 Terraine edited a collection of diaries written by General James Lochhead Jack during the First World War which became a best seller in the United Kingdom The Right of the Line The Royal Air Force in the European War 1939 45 1985 won the Yorkshire Post Book of the Year award His last book Business in Great Waters The U Boat Wars 1916 1945 was published in 1989 2 Later career editTerraine was the founding president of the Western Front Association from 1980 to 1997 after which he became its patron One obituarist wrote that for sheer scholarship the quality and accessibility of his writing and for his debunking of historical myths Terraine was one of the outstanding military historians of the 20th century 1 Terraine was for many years a member of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies He was awarded the institute s Chesney Gold Medal in 1982 He was elected a fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 1987 2 Personal life and death editIn 1945 Terraine married Joyce Waite they had one daughter 1 Terraine died in London aged 82 1 Works editMons The Retreat to Victory New York Macmillan 1960 ISBN 9781840222432 The Battle of Guise August 1914 History Today 1960 The Army in Modern France History Today 1961 Douglas Haig The Educated Soldier 1963 Ordeal of Victory Philadelphia J B Lippincott 1963 ISBN 9780090681204 General Jack s Diary 1914 1918 The Trench Diary of Brigadier General J L Jack D S O London Eyre amp Spottiswoode 1964 The Great War A Pictorial History New York Macmillan 1965 Monash Australian Commander History Today 1966 The Life and Times of Lord Mountbatten London Hutchinson 1968 new ed 2013 Impacts of War 1914 amp 1918 1971 ISBN 9780850523171 Democracy at War Part I History Today 1971 Democracy at War Part II History Today 1971 The Mighty Continent A View of Europe in the Twentieth Century 1975 Trafalgar New York Mason Charter 1976 The Road to Passchendaele The Flanders Offensive of 1917 A Study in Inevitability London Cooper 1977 To Win A War 1918 the Year of Victory Garden City New York Doubleday 1978 The Smoke and the Fire Myths and Anti Myths of War 1861 1945 London Sidgwick and Jackson 1980 White Heat The New Warfare 1914 18 1982 ISBN 9780283988288 The First World War 1914 1918 1984 A Time for Courage The Royal Air Force in the European War 1939 1945 1985 ISBN 9780026169707 The Right of the Line The Role of the RAF in World War Two 1985 Business in Great Waters The U Boat Wars 1916 1945 1989 ISBN 9780850527605 John Terraine Essays on Leadership and War 1914 18 Western Front Association 1998 References edit a b c d John Terraine The Independent 23 January 2004 a b c d e f John Terraine 31 December 2003 The Telegraph John Terraine IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Terraine amp oldid 1173944491, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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