H. Taprell Dorling

Captain Henry Taprell Dorling (1883–1968) was a British sailor, author, and journalist who served in the Royal Navy during both World War One and World War Two, giving his marine fact and fiction a notable authenticity. His Pincher Martin, O.D. (1916) is widely referenced as the source for Pincher Martin (1956) by Nobel prizewinner William Golding. He wrote under the name Taffrail.[1]

Dorling was born in Berwick, the second son of Colonel Francis Dorling, and named Taprell Henry, but later changed the order of his names. He entered HMS Britannia in August 1897, his 1113 marks placing him fifty-eighth in merit among the sixty-three candidates accepted as naval cadets.[2] By then an acting sub-lieutenant, he was in late September 1902 transferred to the seagoing training brig HMS Dolphin.[3]

He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on 31 December 1904, and commander on 31 December 1916. The following year he was appointed in command of the new R-class destroyer HMS Telemachus in her first commission.

Bibliography

In addition to his novels, novelettes, and non-fiction books, Dorling also wrote short stories for magazines such as The Royal Magazine.[4]

Dorling wrote three types of books:[5]

The following list is drawn from the Jisc Library Hub Discover catalogue. This is an online database that collates 161 UK and Irish academic, national & specialist library catalogues. Nevertheless, this catalogue is not exhaustive, and three titles drawn from searches on Abe Books, a site for the used-book trade, are included.

Books by Dorling in the Jisc Library Hub Discover Catalogue
No Year Title Illustrator Publisher Pages Notes
1 1912 All about ships: a book for boys Cassell & Co, London xii, 371 pages, 4 col plates, drawings, photos, (8º)
2 1915 The Boy Castaways; or, Endeavour Island William Rainey Blackie & Son, London vi, 360 pages, (8º)
4 1916 Carry on!: naval sketches and stories C. A. Pearson, London [6], 122 p., 19 cm.
7 1916 Pincher Martin, O.D.: a story of the inner life of the Royal Navy. By 'Taffrail Clifford Fleming-Williams W. & R. Chambers, London 340 p., 20 cm.
3 1916 Service medals, ribbons, badges and flags George Philip & Son, London In 4 parts: [6], 86, 48, 48, 45 p. : illustrations (some color), 18 cm. [note 1]
5 1916 Stand By!: naval sketches and stories C. A. Pearson, London 120 pages, (8º)
6 1916 The secret submarine: a story of fighting by sea and land C. M. Padday Blackie & Son, London 352 pages, (8º)
10 1917 Minor Operations C. A. Pearson, London 120 p., 20 cm.
9 1917 Off Shore C. A. Pearson, London 121 p., 18 cm.
11 1917 Sea, Spray and Spindrift: naval yarns W. Edward Wigfull, Neville Southeby Pitcher C. A. Pearson, London 159 pages : illustrations, (8º)
8 1917 The sub: being the autobiography of David Munro, sub-lieutenant, Royal Navy Hodder & Stoughton, London 356 p. : 5 leaves of plates, 20 cm.
13 1918 A Little Ship W. & R. Chambers, London 337 pages, (8º)
12 1918 The watch below: naval sketches and stories C. A. Pearson, London 121 p., 18 cm.
14 1920 H.M.S. anonymous H. Jenkins, London 320 p., 19 cm.
15 1920 Oh, Joshua! Hodder & Stoughton, London 318, [2]p., 19 cm.
16 1925 Sea venturers of Britain W. Collins, London xix, 316 p. : plates, ports., maps (part. fold.), 19 cm.
17 1927 Sea Escapes and Adventures P. Allan & Co, London 286 pages, (8º)
20 1929 Men o' war: St. Vincent, Cochrane, Marryat, Fisher, Beresford P. Allan & Co, London 308 p. : illustrations, maps., 22 cm.
19 1929 Pirates Hodder & Stoughton, London 311 pages, (8º)
18 1929 Shipmates Hodder & Stoughton, London 316 pages, (8º)
21 1930 The lonely bungalow Hodder & Stoughton, London 320 p., 19 cm.
23 1931 Endless story: being an account of the work of the destroyers, flotilla-leaders, torpedo-boats and patrol boats in the great war Hodder & Stoughton, London 451 p : illus, 25 cm.
22 1931 Kerrell Hodder & Stoughton, London 319 p. : illustrations, 19 cm.
24 1932 Cypher K Hodder & Stoughton, London 315 pages, (8º)
25 1932 The scarlet stripe: being the adventures of a naval surgeon Hodder & Stoughton, London 310 p. : plan, 18 cm
26 1933 Dover-Ostend: a cross channel thriller Hodder & Stoughton, London 351 p. : 1 map, 19 cm.
27 1933 The man from Scapa Flow Hodder & Stoughton, London 320 pages, (8º)
28 1934 Seventy North (70º N) Hodder & Stoughton, London 319 p., 20 cm.
29 1935 Second Officer Hodder & Stoughton, London 310 p., 20 cm.
30 1935 Swept channels: being an account of the work of the minesweepers in the Great War. Hodder & Stoughton, London 388 pages, (8º)
31 1935 Second Officer Hodder & Stroughton, London [note 2]
32 1936 Mid-Atlantic Hodder & Stoughton, London 318, [1] p., 20 cm.
33 1936 Mystery at Milford Haven Hodder & Stoughton, London 319 pages, (8º)
34 1937 Mystery Cruise Hodder & Stoughton, London 320 p., 20 cm.
35 1938 Operation 'M.O.' Hodder & Stoughton, London 288 pages, (8º)
36 1938 Micheal Bray Hodder & Stroughton, London [note 3]
37 1939 Fred Travis, A.B. Hodder & Stoughton, London 336 p., 20 cm.
38 1939 The Shetland plan Hodder & Stoughton, London 256 p. : maps, 19 cm
39 1940 The navy in action Hodder & Stoughton, London 224 p., 19 cm.
40 1940 The Navy is here: a convoy of naval novels Hodder & Stoughton, London 753 p., 8º.
41 1943 Chenies Hodder & Stoughton, London 282 p., 20 cm.
42 1943 White Ensigns G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York 280 p. [note 4]
43 1946 Ribbons and medals, naval, military, air force and civil George Philip & Son, London viii, 208 p., illustrated, xvi color plates on 9 leaves; 19 cm
44 1947 Western Mediterranean, 1942-1945 Hodder & Stroughton, London 461p. : illustrations, 8 volumes
45 1949 Toby Shad Hodder & Stoughton, London 317 p., 20 cm.
46 1951 The jade lizard Hodder & Stoughton, London 256 p., 19 cm.
47 1952 Salt water quiz Hodder and Stoughton, London 157 p., illustrated, 20 cm
48 1952 The new moon Hodder & Stoughton, London 254 p., 19 cm.
49 1953 The Hurlingham Club, 1869-1953 Hurlingham Club, London 69 p., illustrated, 21 cm.
50 1953 Euridice Hodder & Stoughton, London 286 pages, (12º) 19x13cm, red cloth hardcover, original price 12/6
51 1956 Arctic convoy Hodder & Stoughton, London 315 p., 21 cm.
52 1973 Blue Star Line at war, 1939-1945 Foulsham, Slough 159, xiii p, : illustrated, maps (1 color), ports, 23 cm.
53 1974 Ribbons and medals: the world's military and civil awards George Philip & Son, London 359 pages : illustrations (some colour), 23 cm [note 5]

Notes

  1. ^ Dorling produced many different versions of this.
  2. ^ From a listing on Abe Books, not found on the Jisc catalogue.
  3. ^ From a listing on Abe Books, not found on the Jisc catalogue.
  4. ^ From a listing on Abe Books, not found on the Jisc catalogue.
  5. ^ Enlarged edition revised under the editorship of Francis K. Mason

References

  1. ^ Joseph F. Clarke (1977). Pseudonyms. BCA. p. 158.
  2. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 35281. London. 13 August 1897. p. 8.
  3. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36882. London. 25 September 1902. p. 8.
  4. ^ Taffrail (1917). "The Story of Jonathan Rust". The Royal Magazine. 38: 62–68.
  5. ^ Taffrail (1939). "list of books by Taffrail". The Man from Scapa Flow. London: Hodder & Stoughton; reprint of 1933 1st edition{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)


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