John Verney (author)

Sir John Verney
Bt., MC
Born(1913-09-30)30 September 1913
Died2 February 1993(1993-02-02) (aged 79)
Burial placeMiddle Claydon Cemetery, Middle Claydon, Buckinghamshire, UK
EducationEton College
Alma materChrist Church, Oxford
Spouse
Jan Musgrave
(m. 1939)
Children7
Parents
  • Ralph Verney (father)
  • Janette Cheveria Hamilton Walker (mother)
RelativesFrederick Verney (paternal grandfather)
Sir Harry Verney (great-grandfather)
Military career
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch British Army
Service years1939-45
RankMajor
UnitNorth Somerset Yeomanry
Special Boat Service
Special Air Service
Royal Armoured Corps
Conflicts
AwardsMilitary Cross
Mentioned in dispatches
Légion d'honneur

Sir John Verney, 2nd Baronet, MC (30 September 1913 – 2 February 1993) was an author, illustrator, painter, and soldier. His best-known work is a memoir of his experiences of the Italian campaigns of the Second World War, Going to the Wars, published in 1955. He also wrote a number of books for children and young adults and was the inventor, compiler and illustrator of the Dodo Pad diary, still produced annually today.