Papers of John Vader
MSS 242
Collection Title
Papers of John VaderCollection Identifier
MSS 242Inclusive date(s)
1944 to 1988Extent and Medium
Creator(s)
Category
Subject: Terms(s)
Subject: Person(s)
Collection Description
This collection includes correspondence relating to research on Armel Guerne, who was a member of the French Resistance Movement during World War 2, collected by John Vader for his book entitled The Prosper double-cross, published by Sunrise Press, Casino, NSW, 1977. Also included are typescript notes on the 2/3rd Forestry Battalion, 1944-1945, by John Vader, 6 p., 20/11/1988.
Administrative / Biographical history
John Vader was born on 25 March 1919 at Armidale, New South Wales. He saw World War II service with 6th AIF in Libya, Greece and Syria. He later transferred to the RAAF and flew Spitfires in the Pacific theatre. Vader is reputed to have walked away from two Spitfire crashes, and flown a Wirraway bomber so low the propeller blades were bent. (Source: cover of Anzac). These combined experiences informed his war history writings.
In the late sixties Vader went to London to work as a journalist; he wrote articles for Purnell's Magazine and became editor of a weekly journal. It was at this stage he was commissioned to write Spitfire (1969). It was followed by Pacific Hawk (1970), Anzac (1971) and New Guinea the tide is stemmed (1971), some of which were included in the Ballantine/Purnell Illustrated History of World War 2 series.
Living in London, the Cotswolds and the south of France during this period, Vader began researching his other war-time histories - The fleet without a friend (1971), about the French navy after surrender, and The Prosper double-cross (1977) which detailed the betrayal of an Englishman code-named Prosper, and the French Resistance group he led. According to the cover of his 1980 Gold Coast book an illustrated history, it was during this research period he also wrote five short novels for a Monte-Carlo publisher. These have not been traced. The Pottery and Ceramics of David and Hermia Boyd (1977) resulted from time Vader spent in France at Tourette-sur-Loop helping the Boyds to set up their studio. Antique bottle collecting in Australia (1975) was also written during this era.
After eight years abroad, Vader returned to live on a cattle breeding farm near Byron Bay, writing Leatherwork for Australians (1979) and Red Cedar : the tree of Australia's history (1987) which was revised in 2002 with the title Red gold : the tree that built a nation.
Some of Vader's war-themed books have been translated into Turkish, Japanese, Dutch, French and Portuguese.
John Vader died on the 2 December 2005 Potts Point, New South Wales.
References:
AustLit : the Australian Literature Resource, retrieved 16 July 2008.
Acquisition Details
System of arrangement
The collection has been arranged in box then folder order.
Access Restrictions
Other
The collection is available for research.Reproduction Restrictions
Existence and Location of Orginals
Related and Separated Materials
This collection originally included a number of publications, listed below. These works have been catalogued separately, and added to the Library's rare book collection.
Murray, Stewart L. The reality of war : an introduction to "Clausewitz". London : Hugh Rees, 1909.
Wolff, Henry Drummond, 1830-1908. Some notes of the past. [London], England : Sir Henry Drummond Wolff (printed by William Clowes & Sons), 1892.
Guerne, Armel. Le Jardin colérique. Paris : Phébus, 1977.
Guerne, Armel. Rhapsodie des fins dernières. Paris : Phébus, 1977.
Disclaimer
This collection contains a variety of copyright material. Copyright is held by the creator of each item. Specific conditions for this collection are listed above. If no conditions are stipulated then the standard terms of the Copyright Act apply for published and unpublished items. Digitised material from manuscript collections is provided to clients by UNSW Canberra in good faith for private study and research only, and may not be published or re-purposed without the express and written permission of the individual legal holder of that copyright. Refer also to the UNSW copyright, disclaimer and takedown policy.