Language English Role Journalist Name John Laffin | Spouse Hazelle Laffin Nationality Australian | |
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Born September 21, 1922 ( 1922-09-21 ) Occupation military historian and journalist Genre Military history, travel and description Books British butchers and bung, Codes and Ciphers: Secret Wr, The Israeli Army in the Middle E, The Australian Army at, Hitler warned us |
John Laffin talks about the AIF (Australian Imperial Force)
John Laffin (21 September 1922 – 2000) was an Australian military historian and journalist.
Contents
- John Laffin talks about the AIF Australian Imperial Force
- Early life
- World War II
- Writing career
- Selected works
- Death
- References
Early life
Laffin was born in Mosman, Sydney. Both of his parents served during World War I: his father served as infantry officer and his mother served as a nurse.
World War II
In 1941, having worked with Smith's Weekly, one of Australia's most patriotic newspaper-style magazines, and the Wagga Wagga Advertiser. He enlisted in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force. He trained as an infantryman and later completed an officer course before serving in New Guinea, the world's second largest island.
While convalescing in Sydney in 1943, he met his future wife Hazelle, a Red Cross nurse.
Writing career
After the war, Laffin worked for a number of newspapers and magazines, wrote short novels, and began his own feature service and editing unit.
With his family, he left for England in 1956 where he resided for nearly 40 years. He wrote articles for Australian newspapers and taught English, history and geography in secondary colleges. One of these was Mayfield College in East Sussex where he taught English and Geography in the 1960s, while living in nearby Herstmonceux.
Laffin travelled extensively in Europe, especially the Western Front areas of World War I and in the Middle East.
He returned to Australia in 1995. Hazelle Laffin died in early 2000 of heart disease.
Selected works
Death
John Laffin died in Canberra in 2000 after a long illness. He was survived by two daughters (Bronwen and Pirenne) and son (Craig).