Marking 110 years since the start of the First World War, the new tour of War Horse also coincides with the 40th anniversary of the book’s publication. Selling over 35 million copies world-wide, the backstory of Sir Michael Morpurgo’s literary thoroughbred is every bit as captivating..
. Michael Morpurgo and Joey (Image: Jason Lock) I was born in 1943 in London, so I was aware, very early on in my life, what war did to flesh,” he said. “A gentleman called Eric Pearce used to come to tea with us.
He was a lovely man and I knew that he was a war hero. He had been a Fleet Air Arm pilot. He was very smart, but he had terrible burns on his face, an ear and fingers missing and only one eye.
Mother always told me not to stare, but I couldn’t help it. “Eric lived to be almost 100 and I kept up with him. On my last visit to him I apologised for staring at him as a child.
And he said something rather wonderful: ‘I remember very well indeed. And I liked it. What I never liked was when people looked the other way’.
” Other examples of the human cost of World War II that were close to home include Michael’s Uncle Peter, a handsome young actor who was killed in action. “The shadow of war hung over everyone long after D Day. We didn’t talk about being depressed, but we’d say that ‘it was difficult to laugh’.
” Motivated by an interest in military history, he went into the army. But while it gave him a real understanding of the power of camaraderie, ultimately he.