Dick
Douglas-Boyd
Dick Douglas-Boyd (died 2008, aged 88) began to work in publishing
after the second world war. It was a world he loved and in which he
flourished. He joined Hodder and Stoughton in 1949 as a sales
representative, then moved in 1962 to Michael Joseph, where he was
in charge of UK and European sales.
Dick had an innate sense
of what would and would not sell. He worked for Penguin and was
later appointed sales director of Pelham Books. On his retirement,
he was employed by Transworld as a consultant and was responsible
for establishing Partridge Press. He formed D-B Books, reprinting
titles including The Forgotten Fleet by John Winton. Over his
career, he worked with authors including HE Bates, Dick Francis,
Sophia Loren, Stan Barstow, Arthur Hailey and Spike Milligan (whom
he allowed to call him "Doug Dickless-Boyd").
Born in London
and raised in Houghton on the Hill, in Leicestershire, Dick joined
the Royal Navy in 1942 and started his training as a pilot in Elmdon,
Birmingham, going solo in a Tiger Moth after 11 hours of tuition.
His training continued in Kingston, in Ontario, Canada, and he
learned to fly Harvards, Swordfish, Proctors, Lysanders and
Barracudas. In 1944 he joined 820 Naval Air Squadron on the aircraft
carrier HMS Indefatigable.
He took part in the attack on the
German battleship the Tirpitz. Later, as part of the British Pacific
Fleet, and flying an Avenger, he dropped his four 500lb bombs on an
oil refinery at Palembang, Sumatra, for which he was awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross. Given his love of music, it is
unsurprising that during his time with 820 Squadron, he was
instrumental in co-writing the Fleet Air Arm Songbook.
In
retirement, Dick lost none of his zest, humour, intellect and
enthusiasm. When he moved from East Sussex to Moretonhampstead in
Devon, he embraced his fresh surroundings and forged new and close
friendships. He read voraciously, loved sport and occasionally sang
with a jazz band who called him the "Vocal Local".
Dick is
survived by June, his wife of 60 years, and by his daughters, Sally
and Judy.
Any contributions to this item will be
gratefully accepted
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