Roald Dahl Fact Sheet: Who was Roald Dahl? The following short biography and fact sheet provides interesting facts about the life, times and history of Roald Dahl.

Roald Dahl Fact File Biography: Lifespan: 1916 - 1990 *** Full Name: Roald Dahl *** Occupation: British Fighter Pilot, Novelist, Short Story Writer, Poet and Screenwriter *** Date of Birth: Roald Dahl was born on September 13th 1916 *** Place of Birth: Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales *** Family background: His father was Harald Dalh and his mother was Sofie Magdalen Hesselberg. His father arrived in Britain first from Sarpsborg in Norway and settled in Cardiff and his mother followed and married when they had both settled in Wales in 1911. His first language would be Norwegian which was what was spoken at home. His parents were also members of the Norwegian Church in Cardiff and had their children baptized into the Lutheran faith *** Early life and childhood: He grew up with his parents and sisters Astri, Alfhild and Else, although his oldest sister died when she was seven of appendicitis and within a few weeks of her death, his father also died of pneumonia *** Education: Roald Dahl would be educated in Wales as was his father’s wish. His father had felt the British education was the best in the world. He attended the Cathedral School in Llandaff after which he was transferred to a boarding school in England, St Peter’s in Weston-super-Mare, in 1929 he went to Repton School ***

Roald Dahl Fact 1: Roald Dahl was born on September 13th 1916 and during the 20th century period in history when there were world changing events happening including the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Cold War.

Roald Dahl Fact 2: One of his abiding memories of his time at his first school was of a prank for which he and his four friends would receive a caning was for placing a dead mouse in a jar of gobstoppers in the local sweet shop. In episode became fondly known to the boys as the “Great Mouse Plot f 1924” and would also inspire Dahl’s book Everlasting Gobstopper.

Roald Dahl Fact 3: As a school boy it was actually remarked by one of his teachers that “I have never met anybody who so persistently write words meaning the exact opposite of which is intended.” Showing at that stage not skill at in storytelling, or did he?

Roald Dahl Fact 4: Another school experience would lend itself to yet another of his, if not the most famous of his books. While attended Repton, Cadbury’s chocolate factory was nearby and often would send samples of new chocolates to be tried out on the lucky schoolboys. It would be a dream of Roald's to create a chocolate bar that would Mr Cadbury would be truly impressed with. This then proved to be the inspiration for what was his third book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory written in 1964.

Roald Dahl Fact 5: All through his childhood and into his adolescent years, Roald spent most of his summer holidays in Norway with his mother’s relatives.

Roald Dahl Fact 6: During 1939 as war approached Dahl made lieutenant in the King's African Rifles with command of a platoon of Askaris, a colonial army of indigenous troops.

Roald Dahl Fact 7: Several months after this he joined the Royal Air Force. After various months of training in Kenya as well as Iraq he trained in Hawker Harts and became an acting pilot officer and was assigned to No. 80 Squadron RAF.

Roald Dahl Fact 8: Having suffered a life threatening crash in his early flying career he was discharged from hospital in 1941 and passed fit for duty although this would be short lived as he began to suffer from blackouts. He would invalided back to England and after recovery hoped to become an instructor.

Roald Dahl Fact 9: After the war years he met Patricia Neal, an American actress and they married in July of 1953 in New York City. The couple were married for thirty years and had five children together. They divorced in 1983.

Roald Dahl Fact 10: He married Felicity “Liccy” Crosland in 1983 and they lived in his home in Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire.

Roald Dahl Fact 11: In 1986 he was offered the Order of the British Empire in the New Years Honour List but refused it on account of wanting a knighthood so his wife could become Lady Dahl.

Roald Dahl Fact 12: Roald Dahl died of a blood disease myelodysplastic syndrome on November 23rd 1990 in Oxford aged seventy four. His body was laid to rest in the St Peter and St Paul’s Church in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire.

Influence & Legacy of Roald Dahl:
His writings have encouraged children across many generations to read and even take up writing. His stories are imaginative and exciting and full of wonderful colorful characters.

List of Books written by Roald Dahl: The Gremlins *** James and Giant Peach *** Charlie and the Chocolate Factory *** Danny, the Champion of the World *** The Twits *** The BFG *** The Witches *** Matilda ***