May i point out that the first world war had disasterous consequences on the psyche of that young and impressionable generation. Full of Irish American zeal, Frank Cordner, then known as Frank Claud Cordner-James, or "Fluffy" at Felstead, abandoned agricultural College to enlist in the Royal Inniskillen Fusiliers at the age of 16, against his father's wishes, lying about his age. He spent an almost solid three and a half years in the dehumanising hell of the Trenches, leaving one regiment as it departed and enlisting in the next to go up to the front line. This had a detrimental effect on his mental health, leaving him with 80% disability from neurasthenia, or shell shock, to put it crudely. the overall consequences were that he didn't feel he deserved to be alive, as 90% of his peer group had been annihilated in that same environment. He also would get the sudden conviction of "What the hell am i doing here?" and depart for pastures new, even if it just meant moving house about every three weeks, months or even after a week in one case. He could only tolerate a job for about 6 months, before having to seek fresh pastures, and alcohol was a permanent part of his diet, like almost all men who have served in the more serious armed services. As a wanderer, he had his share of adventures, including the odd night in the cells for quite legitimate reasons, as any traveller in south America can attest. Not once did he commit a moral crime, unless you wish to include smuggling whiskey during the American Prohibition for a Chinese ship owner.
His older brother, Phillip was injured in a motorcycle accident, medically discharged and later departed for Malaya as a manager of a rubber plantation and later as an importer/exporter.
His younger brother, Michael was manager at one time of the Calgary Gas Company, but suffered the Irish curse of being a serious alcoholic, and being very small, quite pugnacious! Great fun, though. The sister, Joan, i know nother much about, But as Wendy says, Norah the other sister was a spitfire pilot, amongst other things in the second war, ferrying them to the fighter fields. Her banned book was deemed offensive because she had a character in it who was a lesbian. This was her first book, Written during her convalescence from a serious illness, and was a best seller, being sold overseas and imported, but her greatest book was called, "I LIVED IN A DEMOCRACY".
