User:Australianeditorindarwin/Michael Fitzgerald Page

Michael Fitzgerald Page (AM) (born 02 February 1922) was a British born Australian writer, editor, advertising executive, world war two veteran and merchant sailor. For his "services to the book publishing industry and to literature as a writer, and through the encouragement and support of upcoming Australian authors" he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia Medal of the Order of Australia in 1999.

Early life
Page was born in Chester, Cheshire, England. He lived with his Mother, older brother and two sisters, and his father was a merchant mariner and Great War Royal Navy Commander. He began training as a wireless operator and was at sea by the outbreak of the Second World War.

War service
Page served for duration of the Second World War in the Merchant Navy (United Kingdom) as a wireless operator sailing in North Atlantic Convoys, the Mediterranean, the North Sea and the Indian Ocean. Most notably taking part in the North Atlantic Convoy SC-7. He was later hospitalised in a US military field hospital in the Pacific where he underwent emergency surgery. He finished the war as part of the relief force in Singapore in late 1945.

Career
Until 1951 Page continued his service with the British Merchant Navy, retiring from sea service in Australia. He moved to Australia formally in 1953. He first started writing whilst at sea but did not publish his first book until he had resigned from the Merchant Navy in 1951. He wrote continuously from 1951 until his death in 2014.

Later life
He had three children, four grand children and one great grand child, and lived with his wife Eileen in the Adelaide Hills.

Honours and Awards
In 1999 he was made a member of the Order of Australia for "services to the book publishing industry and to literature as a writer, and through the encouragement and support of upcoming Australian authors"

For his war service in the Merchant Navy he has been awarded the 1939–45 Star, Atlantic Star, Italy Star and the War Medal 1939–1945



Fiction writing

 *  Encyclopedia of Things That Never Were: Creatures, Places, and People (1986) illustrated by Robert Ingpen; Australia title Out of This World: The Complete Book of Fantasy
 * My Anastasia
 * The Great Bullocky Race (1984) illustrated by Robert Ingpen
 * Worldly Dogs (1986) by Ingpen and Page
 * The Runaway Punt
 * Magpie Island
 * Aussie Battlers (1982) illustrated by Ingpen

Non-fiction writing

 * The Prime Ministers of Australia
 * Bradman
 * The Flying Doctor Story, 1928 78
 * Turning Points In The Making Of Australia
 * Colonial South Australia: Its People and Buildings (1985) illustrated by Ingpen
 * The Making of Australians (1987) illustrated by Ingpen

Category:1922 births Category:Australian fantasy writers Category:Australian children's writers Category:Members of the Order of Australia Category:Australian non-fiction writers