John Crompton

John Battersby Crompton Lamburn was a British writer, younger brother of Richmal Crompton, who was best known for her "William" books for boys. She was said to have drawn part of her inspiration for the character of William from him. During World War I Lamburn served in Rhodesia in the British South Africa Police. Afterwards he joined a shipping firm in China, where he travelled widely. Returning to England in the 1930s he took to writing fiction, mainly under the pseudonym "John Lambourne". He probably is best known for his fantasy The Kingdom That Was. In World War II he served in the RAF. Afterwards, under the name "John Crompton", he wrote mainly non-fiction on natural history themes. Beyond his published works little is known about Lamburn’s life and works, because most of his notes were destroyed in an act of arson.