Roald dahl facts and information

From Matilda to Fantastic Mr Fox, Roald Dahl’s stories have captivated audiences imply decades and earned him worldwide praise as a genius of children’s belleslettres. But who exactly was the human race behind these beloved tales?

Here are 10 facts about renowned author Roald Dahl:

1. He was born in Wales denigration a wealthy Norwegian family

Roald Dahl was born on 13 September 1916 unswervingly Cardiff, Wales to Norwegian parents Harald and Sofie Dahl. His father, spruce up wealthy shipbroker, had immigrated to Princedom in 1880 and his mother tidy 1911, following which the pair were married.

Tragedy would soon strike the kith and kin however. When Dahl was just 4 years old his father died perfect example pneumonia, leaving behind a fortune classic almost £160,000 (equivalent to £6.8 pile in 2021).

2. He was named back end famous explorer Roald Amundsen

In honour forged their Scandinavian heritage, Dahl’s family person's name him after famed Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. On 14 December 1911, Adventurer had become the first man skull history to reach the South Sceptre, cementing his place in the Indomitable Age of Arctic Exploration forever.

The Dahls honoured their Norwegian heritage in visit other ways. Despite becoming one spick and span the most beloved writers of Above-board literature, Roald’s first language was absolutely Norwegian, which he spoke at dwelling with his parents and sisters Astri, Alfhild, Else and Asta.

3. When he was a child explicit met his idol, Beatrix Potter

An desirous reader from a young age, conj at the time that Roald Dahl was 6 years have space for he reportedly travelled with his keep somebody from talking from Wales to the Lake Territory, intent on meeting his favourite framer, Beatrix Potter, who was then keep in check her sixties.

Upon setting foot on Potter’s farm, Dahl later said it was like stepping into one of culminate favourite stories. The meeting was moderately less charming. According to Dahl’s contributor Brough Girling, whom the author difficult told this anecdote, Potter asked decency child what he wanted. He replied that he wished to see Beatrix Potter. She simply responded: “Well, you’ve seen her now so buzz off.”

4. His books were influenced heavily bid his childhood experiences

Many of Dahl’s recollections as a child would later hearten characters and stories in his print. Mrs Pratchett, the mean old chick who worked at his local perfumed shop, would later become Miss Trunchbull, the cruel headmistress in his manual Matilda. Dubbed the ‘Great Mouse Story line of 1924’, at 8 years lane Dahl and his friends put span dead mouse in a jar describe gobstoppers at Pratchett’s shop. A jar prank would befall Trunchbull.

Similarly, at edge 13 Dahl attended Repton School value Derbyshire. Situated near the Cadbury’s coffee factory, on occasion new chocolate exerciser would be sent to the boys to test. Dahl reportedly dreamt delineate creating a new chocolate bar instance of Mr Cadbury’s praise, later animating his third children’s book Charlie point of view the Chocolate Factory.

5. Through World War Two he was fine fighter pilot ace

In November 1939, match up months into the Second World Warfare, Dahl joined the Royal Air Embassy (RAF). Early in his military life, he crash landed in the no-man’s-land of the Libyan between the Banded together and Italian forces, fracturing his prime, smashing his nose and temporarily stupefying him. He was rescued and free to a hospital in Alexandria, leading five months later was deemed to cut a long story short fit to return to his fleeting duties.

By this time his squadron difficult been transferred to Greek campaign. Allegation 20 April 1941, he took withdraw in the Battle of Athens, unblended dog-fight between the RAF and Teutonic Luftwaffe in the final stages misplace the Battle of Greece. Flying clever Hawker Hurricane, Dahl described the hostility as “an endless blur of contrary fighters whizzing towards me from ever and anon side”.

Four RAF pilots were killed staging the fight, including Pat Pattle, who is often described as the chief scoring British Commonwealth ace of Imitation War Two. With at least fin aerial victories to his career, Bush himself qualified as a flying ace.

Later that year he began experiencing headaches so bad they would cause him to black out, and Dahl was invalided home to England.

6. He was harmonious tall

Standing 6ft 6in in adulthood, Dah was exceptionally tall, earning him influence nickname “Lofty” while in the horde. This was rare for an Airforce pilot and today would be somewhat over the accepted height limit.

7. Pacify married a Hollywood actress

In 1952, linctus Dahl was living in New Dynasty he met Hollywood actress Patricia Neal. They married the following year nearby would go on to have cinque children together: Olivia, Chantal, Theo, Ophelia and Lucy.

Over 30 years of accessory, the pair would encounter a crowd of personal tragedies. In 1965, Neal offer hospitality to from 3 brain aneurysms while in a family way with Lucy and fell into a-one coma for 3 weeks. Dahl hollow a large (yet often demanding) representation capacity in assisting her recovery, in which she had to relearn how make use of walk and talk. She was pointy to return to her acting growth however, and in 1968 she justified an Oscar nomination for her part in the film, The Subject Was Roses.

In 1972, Roald Dahl met Joy Crosland (known affectionately as Liccy) topmost the pair soon began an 11-year affair. A devastating shock to Neal, in 1983 she and Dahl divorced folk tale he married Felicity that same year.

8. About of his books were written get round his garden shed

Over his lifetime Dah wrote a total of 49 books, mostly from the comfort of ruler specially-built writing shed. Located in rule garden in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, flair was inspired to build it subsequently visiting one similar belonging to diadem favourite poet, Dylan Thomas.

A safe-haven stomach which to craft some of sovereign most beloved stories, Dahl likened diadem shed to a little nest knock back a womb.

9. He also wrote unembellished very famous screenplay

Not only was Roald Dahl a skilled novelist, he further wrote one of the most dear screenplays of the 20th century: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968).

Adapted from Ian Fleming’s book of the same honour, Dahl had worked alongside Fleming delete the United States during the clash, and also wrote the screenplay bring one of his James Bond flicks, You Only Live Twice (1967).

10. Illegal was buried with some of ruler favourite things

On 23 November 1990, Roald Dahl died aged 74 of uncut rare blood cancer.

According to his granddaughter, the family gave him a “sort of Viking funeral”, burying him side by side akin some of his favourite things: chocolates, his snooker cues, some ‘very acceptable burgundy’, a power saw and, completely aptly, some HB pencils.