H.E. Bates(1905-1974)

After becoming a flight lieutenant in the British Royal Air Force, Bates wrote stories and novels about the heroism of the R.A.F. pilots. His many adventure novels were popular, and he was often described by reviewers as a writer of great "sensitivity." He was the author of fifty books, including novels, short stories, and autobiography, often writing about the English countryside. He was made a Companion of the British Empire six months before he died.