Before the war, Laurence Oliver Brown had written at least three books (one as Laurence Oliver).
In the 1939 register, both he and Lieutenant Woodward are sharing a cottage, showing they knew each other before the war.
John's aunt, Mary 'Charlotte' Besier, was married to the famous playwright Rudolf Besier. After his death and the conclusion of WWII, Charlotte, John, and Laurence all moved together to Cork, where they lived for the remainder of their lives.
Research carried out by Amanda Gareis uncovered many great articles on dogs written by Mr. Woodward, reviews and advertisements for Mr. Brown's novels (writing as Laurence Oliver), and even some charming little newspaper profiles from the 1930s about the two writers and their pets. They were clearly very accomplished and interesting people.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorset Group 6 - Bridport Area | Group Commander | 28 Dec 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
Author of plays, novels and essays
22nd June 1915 Commissioned.
He was promoted Lieutenant on 1st January 1942, while still with 1st Battalion Dorset Home Guard (though he would have been with Auxiliary Units in practice). Like others he is formally transferred to 203 Battalion GHQ Reserve Home Guard on 12th December 1942 when this is created. He was promoted Captain on 14th November 1943.
