Glarnies, Green Berets & Goons

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 30/05/2017 23:57:11

I'm very excited to be able to announce a that new book is about to be produced to tell the story of Larry Stephens...

Glarnies, Green Berets & Goons will aim to expose "the remarkable story of a WWII Commando who transformed British comedy."

Larry Stephens' promising career as a jazz pianist was interrupted by the war, and after serving as an officer with the Commandos he moved to London and struck up a friendship with Tony Hancock becoming the sole writer of Hancock's stage material.
Hancock introduced Stephens to Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe and Michael Bentine and together they created The Goon Show. As one of the main writers throughout the surreal sketch show's nine-year run, Stephens' experiences and acquaintances became themes and characters within the show.
But naturally it is Larry's time in the Commandos which interests me the most. A few years ago Julie Warren contacted me to ask if I could help her find out any information about her cousin's time in the Commando. She told me she was writing his biography and thought she ought to add 'a paragraph or two' about his experiences in the Army... Fortunately I was able to point her in the right direction and so her research began.
As has happened to a great many of us, Julie quickly became hooked and has since spent many hours thumbing through War Diaries, archives, documents and photos in the National Archives, The IWM and the National Army Museum.
Julie quickly established that, having qualified as a commando, Larry was posted to No.5 Commando and sailed, as part of 3 SS Brigade, to serve in India, Burma and, post hostilities, Hong Kong and the New Territories.
Extremely thorough and meticulous in her research - she found the name of my late father's 'commando pal' and was instrumental in me getting to meet him shortly before he passed away - Julie soon extended her analysis to cover the whole Commando history but especially concentrated on No.5 Commando.
Julie's knowledge of No.5 Commando in the Far East is so extensive that it meant that the intended 'paragraph or two' has expanded to cover almost 50 per cent of Larry Stephens' biography...
I have been honoured to have read small excepts of the book and have been an avid fan of Julie's blog (also named, Glarnies, Green Berets & Goons) and I've learned such a lot from them already, I can't wait for this book to be published so that I can read my own, signed, copy...

Click on the link below for information, video, synopsis and extract...

https://unbound.com/books/goons

Nick

Thanks for such a glowing report, Nick :-) and thanks to those of you who have already pre-ordered a copy.

There will be updates and competitions (with prizes!) for supporters as the project progresses.

Just a quick update...
https://unbound.com/books/goons/updates/video-billed-the-radio-stars

Nick

My book will be dedicated to all the Commandos who served in WWII but I'd like to include the names of some of the men who fought.
Anyone who pledges (at any level) and has a relation who served during the war can choose to have his name added to the dedication page.
Just send me a private message with his name and Commando Unit and if you've already pre-ordered a copy, please also get in touch and let me know your relation's details.
Thank you
https://www.unbound.com/books/goons

Julie W wrote:My book will be dedicated to all the Commandos who served in WWII but I'd like to include the names of some of the men who fought.
Anyone who pledges (at any level) and has a relation who served during the war can choose to have his name added to the dedication page.
Just send me a private message with his name and Commando Unit and if you've already pre-ordered a copy, please also get in touch and let me know your relation's details.
Thank you
https://www.unbound.com/books/goons

That's a wonderful concept, Julie, thank you.

Nick