Writing was certainly not Harry’s first career by a long way.
Born in 1932 in northern England, at the age of 2 he was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the spine and spent the next 10 years in an orthopaedic hospital.
In 1939 when the second world war started the largest munitions factory in England was built close to the hospital. This factory was often targeted by the German Air force and Harry recalls the many bombs that overshot the factory and landed on and close to the hospital.
After a major operation on his spine he was discharged from hospital at the age of 10. At this age, he’d never ridden a bus or train, never played with other children and never been to school. Consequently he had little education, being able to read and write but little else. He left school at age 14 to work on a building site as tea boy, running errands for the men on the site.
Six months later, under a government programme he was sent to an establishment for disabled boys in London where he could learn a trade. Harry chose to be a watch repairer.
Unfortunately, after less than 2 years the new Labour government pulled the plug on the finances and the place closed. Harry had to find other work so for several years he did every job imaginable whilst searching for a career. He worked in numerous factories, offices, hotels, truck driver, ice cream salesman.
Thinking of a career on stage, he spent two years as an actor in repertory playing in theatres all over England. The repertory group broke up when the advent of television caused a downturn in bookings. During all these years Harry was interested in learning and taught himself several subjects, with his main focus on electronics and mathematics.
He married at that time so he decided to pursue a career in electronics and, worked as a technician whilst studying higher electronics. Graduating from London University he worked in radio communications and radar systems. Later, he moved to South Africa, where he was a communication engineer with the South African Navy. This was followed by two years in Johannesburg where he was manager of an international communications company.
He returned to England to obtain medical treatment for his daughter, when this was completed he left for Australia. Harry arrived in Australia in 1974 and worked in electronics until his forced retirement at the age of 68 due to an acute aneurysm of the Aorta.
Since leaving school in 1946 Harry has never been out of work more than two days. When arriving in Sydney in 1974 he started work at the Wollongong Steel works within two days of arrival.
In addition to the aneurysm which necessitated major surgery, he has since survived cancer (2 bouts) and several heart attacks including heart failure when his heart stopped as the paramedics wheeled him into the emergency department of Campbelltown Hospital. It is solely due to the excellent care of the medical staff that he is alive today.
He became interested in writing when a friend in UK asked him to collaborate in the writing of a history of the orthopaedic hospital where he was a patient all those years ago. The proceeds of this book were donated to a hospice. Following this he started to write his autobiography, a work still ongoing.
He has had short stories and non-fiction articles published in magazines.
His first novel, The Rainbow Serpent was inspired by the Aboriginal dreamtime stories, and is set in Kakadu and Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.
He is presently working on two other novels which he expects to publish in 2013. Both are set in rural Australia. One is a sequel to The Rainbow Serpent and is also set in Arnhem Land.
He enjoys fishing and is a supporter of the Campbelltown Cardiac Walking Group.
Harry lives in Campbelltown NSW, Australia, with his wife Betty. They have been married for 58 years.
His latest novel can be seen on www.therainbowserpent.com.au
Harry Dodgson
98 Campbellfield Ave, Bradbury, 2560. Australia
Telephone (02) 46 253254
Mobile 0401 44 2564
Email: hdodgson@therainbowserpent.com
