Posted by Andy Morley on March 18, 1999 at 19:46:22:
If English fiction had its own Mount Rushmore, one of the grim-faced figures glowering down on us would be 'the naval man'. Not all of them are stoney faced though - in Perigrine Pickle, Smollet pokes delightful fun at the naval mentality through the person of Commodore Hawser Trunnion. Retired to a house far from the sea, he runs it as though it were a ship and refers to his horse as 'me frigate'. Dickens takes the theme in a direction all of his own with his special talents for characterisation in Captain Cuttle. (Dombey & Son).
Commander Walker, a part of this tradition, himself went on to sire further offspring. In an equally famous children's book written 20 years after Swallows and Amazons, there are direct references to Ransome:
"At once there was a clamour.
'Treasure Island --'
'Swallows and Amazons --'
'Coral Island --' "
And there is a striking allusion to Commander Walker though the words of the hero, a boy of whom Ransome would have surely approved:
"I could swim when I was 5. Daddy taught me. He's a commander in the Navy" But then, the whole book is dripping with allusions to Ransome.
How many other literary descendents did our gallant Commander beget in his voyage around the world of literature..?