John Gunn (Australian writer)

John Gunn (born 26 February 1925) is an Australian writer, sailor and aviator.

John Gunn
Born	26 February 1925 Northumberland, England
Occupation	Writer
Language	English
Nationality	Australian
Notable works	Sea Menace
Notable awards	Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers
Years active	1955–1999

Education

Gunn attended Newington College aged 12 in 1937.[1] He entered the Royal Australian Naval College as a cadet-midshipman in 1939.[2] In 1946 he began training as a Fleet Air Arm pilot, serving in England and the Mediterranean.[2] He returned to Australia in 1949 and attended Sydney University, aborting the study of medicine to start a family.[2]

Career

Gunn and his young family moved to England, where he began his writing career.[2] In 1957 they returned to Australia.[2] He attained various positions including:

• Literary guide and friend to the Australian Broadcasting Commission's children's programme.[2]
• Aviation correspondent for the Australian Financial Review[2]

Bibliography

Novels

• The Wild Abyss (1972)
• Water Hazard (1995)

Novels for children

• Barrier Reef Espionage (1955)
• Battle in the Ice (1956)
• Gibraltar Sabotage (1957)
• Sea Menace (1958)
• Submarine Island (1958)
• The Humpy in the Hills (1960)
• Peter Kent's Command (1960)
• Dangerous Enemies (1961)
• City in Danger (1962)
• Conquest of Space (1962)
• The Goodbye Island (1963)

Edited

• Dangerous Secret (1960)
• The Gold Smugglers (1962)
• The Gravity Stealers (1965)

Drama

• Wren's Nest (1955)
• Hildegard : A Play (1999)

Non-fiction

• Barrier Reef by Trimarine (1966)
• Seaspay : The Spoils of War (1967)
• Sailing and Ships for You (1957)

Awards

• 1959 – joint winner Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers for Sea Menace

See also

• Arthur Piver

References

1. Newington College Register of Past Students 1863–1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 75
2. John Gunn (1966). Barrier Reef by Trimaran. Sydney: Collins. p. (Rear inner jacket).