Quiz Question

[John Upham]

Which British player (who had a grandmaster title) shared a part time occupation with the fictional character William Hodges during the second world war?

[Gerard Killoran]

My guess is that Comins Mansfield was an ARP warden.

[John Upham]

My guess is that Comins Mansfield was an ARP warden.

Gerard, You are about as close as it gets without being correct.

There is an interesting coincidence between CM and the correct answer based on the location of their obituaries.

(I cannot say for certain that CM was not an ARP Warden but the 1939 census states that the correct answer was an ARP warden).

This person was also a volunteer for the St. John Ambulance and a keen rower, being trialled for the Varsity crew.

He received the MBE.

A further clue is that his sister Mary also received an MBE

[Geoff Chandler]

Must be Reginald Walter Bonham. Major clue was in sister Mary.

http://britishchessnews.com/2020/03/16/ ... -iii-1984/

Here is a picture of ARP wardens playing chess.

[John Upham]

Geoff wins the star prize of a night out with Ray Keene at Simpson's-in-the-Strand including an all you can eat buffet meal.

RW Bonham was an ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Warden and St. John Ambulance volunteer whilst at Worcester College for the Blind (originally Worcester College for the Blind Sons of Gentlemen)

See https://britishchessnews.com/2020/03/16 ... -iii-1984/

If anyone knows the year of the MBE award I would be most grateful. Was it New Years honours or Queen's Birthday honours ?

[Richard James]

If anyone knows the year of the MBE award I would be most grateful. Was it New Years honours or Queen's Birthday honours ?

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/iss ... 3/data.pdf

New Years Honours 1970. (Hot tip: honours are listed in the London Gazette, readily available online.)

[NickFaulks]

Geoff wins the star prize of a night out with Ray Keene at Simpson's-in-the-Strand including an all you can eat buffet meal.

For which he will of course have to pay for both, but Geoff is an old enough dog to know that.

[Gerard Killoran]

Geoff wins the star prize of a night out with Ray Keene at Simpson's-in-the-Strand including an all you can eat buffet meal.

For which he will of course have to pay for both, but Geoff is an old enough dog to know that.

I hope I haven't won second prize - two nights out with Ray Keene.

[John Upham]

Geoff wins the star prize of a night out with Ray Keene at Simpson's-in-the-Strand including an all you can eat buffet meal.

For which he will of course have to pay for both, but Geoff is an old enough dog to know that.

I hope I haven't won second prize - two nights out with Ray Keene.

I was about to pass on the bad news...

The second night would be at the RAC Club in Pall Mall.