Pseudonym of Hugh Provan Crosbie. He was born in Girvan, Carrick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. During World War II, he was a captain in the Royal Artillery and was decorated with the Military Cross following the siege of Tobruk. In 1943, he published a collection of news called They Shall Not Die and in 1962, he published his first novel, Richer the Dust inspired by his military experience.