Posted by Peter H on September 24, 2007 at 23:03:25 from 217.42.253.242 user Peter_H.
In Reply to: Re: Commodores - back to class posted by andyb on September 23, 2007 at 21:38:06:
I wonder why he chose to write the father of his fictional Swallows as a British naval officer.
I'd put forward a couple of reasons:
1) because this would make it appropriate for the Swallows to follow a sort of quasi-naval discipline on their adventures. AR must have thought it essential that the Swallows acted as a sort of co-operative 'unit', and the fact that they (and especially John) were imitating Daddy helps to make this convincing.
2) because, of necessity because he is on active service, it keeps Cdr Walker out of the way for most of the time. AR did not want too many natives around, particularly 'fathers'. N and P had lost theirs, and the Ds' father was safely far off in London or Egypt.