Roald Dahl would have been ninety on the 13th September 2006 to celebrate his birthday, Roald
Dahl day was held with events, activities and parties that everyone could get involved in.
He was born in 1916 in Llandaff Wales. His parents were Norwegian his father Harald had been a farmer in Norway but in Wales was joint owner of a ship - broking business. His mother was Sofie Magdalene Hasselberg they had five children. When Roald was four he lost first his elder sister who died of appendicitis then within a matter of weeks his father died of Pneumonia. Harald Dahl had always wanted his children to be educated in England as he believed it was the best. Sofie Dahl stayed in Wales so she could fulfil her husband's aspiration.
Roald Dahl didn't enjoy his schooldays but the experience helped him as a children's writer. One story also came about because of where he went to school. It was close to The Cadbury Factory where of course they made chocolate and Cadbury's would now and again ask Dahl and his fellow pupils to test their products.
When he left school he went to work for the oil company Shell and worked in London first before being posted to Dar - es - Salaam in Tanzania (Tanganyika as it was then known.) In 1939 when the Second World War broke out he travelled to Kenya which was also in East Africa. There in the capital Nairobi he joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) and became a pilot officer. In 1940 he suffered a fractured scull and other injuries after a crash landing. After a few months of recovery he was allowed to continue flying but he suffered from headaches and blackouts, it proved impossible to continue flying under those conditions. So he was moved to Washington where he worked as assistant Air Attache. It was while there he was encouraged to write by the author C.S Forester who wrote Captain Hornblower. Dahl had his story about the war published in a newspaper in 1942. This was his first published work. From then on he began to write children's fiction beginning with the Gremlins. He also wrote children's Poetry, adult fiction, non - fiction and film scripts. But it is as a children's writer he is most known and loved.
Dahl day was held with events, activities and parties that everyone could get involved in.
He was born in 1916 in Llandaff Wales. His parents were Norwegian his father Harald had been a farmer in Norway but in Wales was joint owner of a ship - broking business. His mother was Sofie Magdalene Hasselberg they had five children. When Roald was four he lost first his elder sister who died of appendicitis then within a matter of weeks his father died of Pneumonia. Harald Dahl had always wanted his children to be educated in England as he believed it was the best. Sofie Dahl stayed in Wales so she could fulfil her husband's aspiration.
Roald Dahl didn't enjoy his schooldays but the experience helped him as a children's writer. One story also came about because of where he went to school. It was close to The Cadbury Factory where of course they made chocolate and Cadbury's would now and again ask Dahl and his fellow pupils to test their products.When he left school he went to work for the oil company Shell and worked in London first before being posted to Dar - es - Salaam in Tanzania (Tanganyika as it was then known.) In 1939 when the Second World War broke out he travelled to Kenya which was also in East Africa. There in the capital Nairobi he joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) and became a pilot officer. In 1940 he suffered a fractured scull and other injuries after a crash landing. After a few months of recovery he was allowed to continue flying but he suffered from headaches and blackouts, it proved impossible to continue flying under those conditions. So he was moved to Washington where he worked as assistant Air Attache. It was while there he was encouraged to write by the author C.S Forester who wrote Captain Hornblower. Dahl had his story about the war published in a newspaper in 1942. This was his first published work. From then on he began to write children's fiction beginning with the Gremlins. He also wrote children's Poetry, adult fiction, non - fiction and film scripts. But it is as a children's writer he is most known and loved.
In 1953 he married the American actress Patricia Neal and they had five children. Their oldest child died of measles at the age of seven the same age as Dahl's oldest sister had been when she died. Their son Theo was four months when his pram was hit by a taxi in New York and he suffered brain damage. To help him Dahl got together with a couple of friends one was an engineer the other a neurosurgeon. They developed a valve called The Dahl - Wade - Till that drained the fluid from his brain. This was so he wouldn't have to be attached to machines all the time. The valve proved worthwhile as Theo Dahl recovered well.
Roald Dahl's tragedies didn't end there though. His wife Patricia Neal, while pregnant with their fifth child suffered three strokes one after the other. This caused paralysis and she was unable to speak or move. With her husbands help she fully regained her health. He used a strict programme and enrolled friends and neighbours to help carry out the programme. Their fifth child was born fit and well and Patricia Neal was able to return to her career as an actress. Sadly after thirty years their marriage came to an end. Dahl went on to marry Felicity Ann Crossland (Liccy) whom he remained happily married to until he died of leukaemia on the 23rd November 1990.
It seems that despite the terrible personal tragedies throughout his life he didn't become resentful or feel sorry for himself. He had a strong character which made him determined to fight and overcome any difficulties that where thrown at him. He channelled his energies into other things, apart from his writing and other interests he also gave money to help other people, in particular children who were sick or disabled. He didn't just give money though he also helped by giving his time.
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