Guest Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 (edited) Sorry-pics will not load Edited 3 April , 2017 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 UG Might need a clue for 5927. Are we looking at pseudonyms, Murmansk, writers, service with the Russians? In fact let's make that definitely need a clue! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 Snap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 8 minutes ago, David Ridgus said: UG Might need a clue for 5927. Are we looking at pseudonyms, Murmansk, writers, service with the Russians? In fact let's make that definitely need a clue! David 5 minutes ago, neverforget said: Snap! voilà! https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Barry_(écrivain) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 Sorry, #5932 is perhaps the worst clue since Daniel's "His picture is in the Library of Congress". The chap in uniform is a novelist, playwright, Hollywood screenplay-writer, and candidate for the thread 'Unusually named people of the Great War'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 If I may join in again UG, I can say that the top gentleman was an associate of Joe Boyle from an earlier WIT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 1 hour ago, Uncle George said: Sorry, #5932 is perhaps the worst clue since Daniel's "His picture is in the Library of Congress". happy days! I miss Daniel's brilliant pictures and obfuscatory clues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 1 hour ago, Knotty said: If I may join in again UG, I can say that the top gentleman was an associate of Joe Boyle from an earlier WIT. Okay so Knotty's clue makes the top guy George Alexander Hill who spied with Boyle in Russia. Still working on our Hollywood chap David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 2 minutes ago, David Ridgus said: Okay so Knotty's clue makes the top guy George Alexander Hill who spied with Boyle in Russia. Still working on our Hollywood chap David Like Hill, he was un agent des services secrets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 Nope this one (like so many!) has me beat. Coursework marking calls so I will retire until later David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 I'm struck by the number of well-known writers who served with Intelligence/Secret Services: Graham Greene, Somerset Maugham, Charles Barry, Ian Fleming, this chap. His impressive oeuvre includes a collaboration with J. B. Priestley on a dramatisation of 'The Good Companions'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 Don't forget John Buchan in your Intelligence writers (though this chap is not him). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 The Priestley clue leads me to Edward Knoblock/Edward Gustav Knoblauch (via the extensive library). What an interesting man. As you say the link between the intelligence services and literature is very intriguing. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 (edited) Coursework depressing so a quick check in to WIT finds a generous UG giving it away! This is the splendidly named dramatist and spy Edward Knoblock. Handsome fellow though he was you can't really imagine him in a white DJ announcing himself as, 'Knoblock, Edward Knoblock'. David Edit: Beaten to the punch by my non-marking Pal! Edited 3 April , 2017 by David Ridgus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 Sir! Sir! I got him first Sir! Honest Sir! I put my hand up before Ridgus Sir!........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 Indeed you did Owls Minor, but no one likes a show off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 Just now, Fattyowls said: The Priestley clue leads me to Edward Knoblock/Edward Gustav Knoblauch (via the extensive library). What an interesting man. As you say the link between the intelligence services and literature is very intriguing. Pete. Edward Knoblock it is. Yes, the Edward Knoblock. In his memoir 'Round the Room' (1939) he writes an anecdote of Mansfield Smith-Cumming, the head of MI6. Smith-Cumming had lost his leg in a car accident, and acquired a prosthetic limb made of wood; he used it to theatrical effect during interviews with potential agents. "He would terrify potential recruits by reaching for his sharp letter knife and raising it high in the air. He would then slam it through his trousers and into his wooden leg." According to Knoblock, if the candidate winced, Smith-Cumming told him, "well, I am afraid you won't do." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Knoblock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 2 minutes ago, Uncle George said: Edward Knoblock it is. Yes, the Edward Knoblock. In his memoir 'Round the Room' (1939) he writes an anecdote of Mansfield Smith-Cumming, the head of MI6. Smith-Cumming had lost his leg in a car accident, and acquired a prosthetic limb made of wood; he used it to theatrical effect during interviews with potential agents. "He would terrify potential recruits by reaching for his sharp letter knife and raising it high in the air. He would then slam it through his trousers and into his wooden leg." According to Knoblock, if the candidate winced, Smith-Cumming told him, "well, I am afraid you won't do." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Knoblock Does Knoblock (you couldn't make a name like that up even if you were Ben Jonson) expand on the whole knife through trousers anecdote? Did Smith-Cumming have special trousers? Did he have to change after each interview? Presumably he would have to send out to his tailor to have him run up a spare pair when an interview was planned. I doubt if even Graham Greene amongst the literary former spooks would be able to get away with a storyline like that. Triffic story mon oncle, absolutely triffic. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 13 minutes ago, Uncle George said: Edward Knoblock it is. Yes, the Edward Knoblock. In his memoir 'Round the Room' (1939) he writes an anecdote of Mansfield Smith-Cumming, the head of MI6. Smith-Cumming had lost his leg in a car accident, and acquired a prosthetic limb made of wood; he used it to theatrical effect during interviews with potential agents. "He would terrify potential recruits by reaching for his sharp letter knife and raising it high in the air. He would then slam it through his trousers and into his wooden leg." According to Knoblock, if the candidate winced, Smith-Cumming told him, "well, I am afraid you won't do." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Knoblock However the oft quoted tale that he amputated his own leg after the car crash with a pen knife has been shown to be false by medical records. I do remember being told when working in the Old War Office that the corridors were kept smooth for his habit of travelling around on a child's scooter David PS and speaking of writer/spies we should include David Cornwell aka John Le Carre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 11 minutes ago, Fattyowls said: Does Knoblock expand on the whole knife through trousers anecdote? Did Smith-Cumming have special trousers? Did he have to change after each interview? If someone did that when I was being interviewed, 'twould be me changing my trousers (I think you'd find). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 3 April , 2017 Author Share Posted 3 April , 2017 1 hour ago, Fattyowls said: Does Knoblock (you couldn't make a name like that up even if you were Ben Jonson) . . . . . Pete. A slight corruption of the German word - knoblauch - meaning "garlic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 On 4/3/2017 at 22:49, Stoppage Drill said: A slight corruption of the German word - knoblauch - meaning "garlic. In a wild digression, Katerina Knoblauch, 1532. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 Had you not given the game away sJ I think that would have been the WIT to end all WITs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 1 hour ago, Stoppage Drill said: A slight corruption of the German word - knoblauch - meaning "garlic. Ben Elton more like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 3 April , 2017 Share Posted 3 April , 2017 On 4/3/2017 at 23:42, David Ridgus said: Had you not given the game away sJ I think that would have been the WIT to end all WITs Not exactly GW-era, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now