Anthony Armstrong
Anthony Armstrong, born George Anthony Armstrong Willis on January 2, 1897, in Esquimalt, British Columbia, was a notable British author and military figure. He served in the British Army Royal Engineers during World War I, achieving the rank of captain and receiving the Military Cross for his bravery. After the war, he pursued a literary career, studying at Trinity College, Cambridge, and writing a variety of historical novels under the pen name Anthony Armstrong, which often blended romantic and supernatural themes. He contributed humorously to the magazine Punch and published numerous short stories and articles in both British and American periodicals.
Armstrong's literary portfolio expanded to include lighthearted novels about military life, mystery, and suspense, with notable works such as "Ten-Minute Alibi" and "The Strange Case of Mr. Pelham," the latter being adapted for television. His creative endeavors also included playwriting, with many of his works adapted into films. A dedicated military man, he served as a Royal Air Force volunteer during and after World War II, earning the Order of the British Empire for his service. Armstrong's diverse contributions to literature and military training reflect his multifaceted talent before his passing in England on February 10, 1976.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Anthony Armstrong
Writer
- Born: January 2, 1897
- Birthplace: Esquimalt, British Columbia, Canada
- Died: February 10, 1976
- Place of death: England
Biography
Anthony Armstrong was born George Anthony Armstrong Willis on January 2, 1897, in Esquimalt, British Columbia, Canada, the son of Royal Navy member George H. A. Willis and Adela Emma Temple Frere Willis. He performed ten years of active duty with the British Army Royal Engineers beginning in 1915, and he eventually rose to the rank of captain and received the Military Cross for his heroism during World War I.
After the war, he attended Trinity College, Cambridge, and wrote a series of historical novels, often containing romantic and supernatural elements, under the name Anthony Armstrong. These novels include Lure of the Past, The Love of Prince Rameses, The Heart of a Slave-Girl: A Tale of the Underworld of Ancient Rome, and When Nile Was Young: A Romance of the Eighteenth Egyptian Dynasty. In 1925, Armstrong retired from active military duty and entered the Royal Engineers Reserve of Officers, serving until he was invalided out in 1939. He married Frances Monica Sealy in 1926, and the couple raised a son and two daughters.
Under the name A. A. Willis, he contributed weekly humorous articles to Punch from 1924 to 1933, and he frequently published articles and short stories in many American and British periodicals, including The New Yorker, Country Fair, Strand, Daily Mail, Evening News, and Sunday Chronicle. In the late 1920’s, Armstrong increased his output and his repertoire. He wrote a series of four humorous college-set novels, and for more than two decades he wrote lighthearted novels and produced or edited numerous whimsical short-story collections, primarily dealing with military life. Notable examples include Warriors at Ease, Livestock in Barracks, The Prince Who Hiccupped, and Other Tales, Captain Bayonet and Others, Warriors at War, and Sappers at War.
In the late 1920’s, Anthony also began contributing to the mystery and suspense genre with the publication of The Trail of Fear in 1927. The novel introduced his character Jimmie Rezaire, a streetwise thug who acts as a private eye and was featured in five books. His best-known novels were Ten- Minute Alibi, based on his play of the same name, and The Strange Case of Mr. Pelham, which served as the basis for an episode of the television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Anthony also wrote numerous plays, most of them mysteries, between 1931 and 1960. Several of his plays were adapted as films, and he wrote an original screenplay for the film Young and Innocent as well as scripts for episodes of radio and television series.
Anthony served as a Royal Air Force volunteer squadron leader during and after World War II. He also founded and edited a military training magazine, Tee Emm, and for his services was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1944. He was no stranger to nonfiction, either, producing a series of domestic living books, wartime reminiscences (Village at War), religious studies (The Church of England, the Methodists and Society, 1700-1850, and memoirs (The Year at Margarets). The prolific and versatile Armstrong died in England on February 10, 1976.