West Country army translator’s life turned into book
Added: (Wed Dec 15 2021)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
John Forster’s family weren’t wrong when they convinced him that he had a story to tell.
The retired British Army Major and Middle East translator enjoyed a hair-raising and colourful career spanning close to five decades.
The 87-year-old, after losing his beloved wife and son within the space of four months, was convinced to consider writing his memoirs by the surviving members of his family.
Following a year of research and reflection, the Sandhurst graduate has just published The Adventures of an Itinerant Linguist.
John said: “My little book, inspired by and dedicated to my two grandchildren, consists of a series of anecdotes in which I recall events and personalities during my 25 years of military service and thereafter, with the odd white-knuckle episode, making the most of the dying embers of the British Empire.
“Commissioned into the Royal Artillery I studied languages, in particular Arabic, and spent my army career in a number of postings, some of them hair-raising, some idyllic and some hilarious, mainly in the Middle East.
“After retiring as a major in 1978 I joined British industry as a salesman and continued my sojourns into the Middle East, before finally becoming a freelance translator.”
Born in Bromley, John is quick to admit that he was far from academic during his school years.
But the attraction of Royal Military Academy Sandhurst led to him beginning a life-long love of linguistics as well as the military.
Stationed in the UK and Germany, where he met his wife Sheila, John’s ability for learning languages led to him being in demand for translation services.
And after learning Arabic, he found himself posted to several exotic locations spread all around the Middle East.
And it was then that a fascination for the emerging oil-rich principalities began.
John, who lists the likes of Patrick O’Brian, George MacDonald Fraser and Bernard Cornwell amongst his favourite authors, believes writing The Adventures of an Itinerant Linguist lifted his spirits after the recent loss of his wife and son.
He added: “I am now in my 87th year, ostensibly fit and well, but kept alive by a handful of pills and a pacemaker, and writing this seemed a daunting task.
“But it kept me sane through the desolation of a recent double bereavement compounded by the pandemic lockdown.”
Since the release of The Adventures of an Itinerant Linguist it has attracted entirely five-star reviews from readers.
Critic Christian Scott said: “A very interesting read detailing many lesser told stories of what it was like working in the army during this era.”
For more information visit Amazon and search for John Forster, where the Kindle and paperback versions of The Adventures of an Itinerant Linguist are available.
Notes to the Editor
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