358:, and the fact that he was only 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm) tall enabled him to avoid easy detection because the winter mist that shrouded the territory was often 6 feet (180 cm) high. Sam Mendes also described how his grandfather Alfred did not talk about his wartime experiences until he was in his 70s. One remnant of his experience in mud-drenched trench warfare was his lifelong habit of continually washing his hands for several minutes at a time.
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After briefly returning to
Trinidad in 1915, against his father's wishes he joined the Merchants' Contingents of Trinidad — whose purpose was to enroll and transport to Britain young men who wished to serve in the war "for King and Country" — and sailed back to the United Kingdom. He served in the
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from March 1931 until
November 1939. Mendes was quoted as saying in 1972: "James and I departed from the convention in the selection of our material, in the choice of a strange way of life, in the use of a new dialect. And these departures are still with our Caribbean successors." In all Mendes
274:(1935) — and for his short stories written during the 1920s and 1930s. He was "one of the first West Indian writers to set the pattern of emigration in the face of the lack of publishing houses and the small reading public in the West Indies." Mendes' experiences in
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Mendes returned to
Trinidad in 1919, and worked in his wealthy father's provisions business, while spending his spare time writing poetry and fiction, and in establishing contact with other writers, artists and scholars.
533:
after only two years of marriage. A second marriage, a year later, ended in divorce in 1938. His third wife was Ellen
Perachini, mother of his last two sons, Jameson Peter and Stephen Michael. He is the grandfather of
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In 1940, Mendes went back to
Trinidad. He abandoned writing and worked in Trinidad's civil service, becoming General Manager of the Port Services Department. He was one of the founding members of the
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in London, the novels are significant in the history of literature from the
Caribbean region and are landmarks in the establishment of
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novelist and short-story writer. He was a leading member of the 1930s "Beacon group" of writers (named after the literary magazine
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He began writing his autobiography in 1975 and his unfinished drafts were edited by Michèle Levy and published in 2002 by the
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Mendes married in
October 1919, and had a son, Alfred John, the following year. His first wife, Jessie Rodriguez, died of
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for distinguishing himself on the battlefield. Towards the end of the war, he accidentally inhaled
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until 1912, then at the age of 15 went to continue his studies in the United
Kingdom, attending
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family, and the son of
Isabella Mendes (née Jardine) and Alfred Mendes. Mendes was educated in
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published about 60 short stories in magazines and journals in
Trinidad, New York, London and
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Mendes and his wife Ellen both died in 1991 in Barbados and are buried together there in
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852:"The Man Who Ran Away" and Other Stories of Trinidad in the 1920s and 1930s
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855:, Jamaica/Barbados: University of the West Indies Press, 2006, p. xiv.
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374:, Mendes produced two issues of a pioneering literary magazine called
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Reinhard W. Sander, "The Thirties and Forties", in Bruce King (ed.),
378:(Christmas 1929 and Easter 1930). Several of his stories appeared in
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His experience of the war served as an inspiration to his grandson,
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for his contribution to the development of West Indian literature.
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Fifty Caribbean Writers: A Bio-bibliographical Critical Sourcebook
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Fifty Caribbean Writers: A Bio-bibliographical Critical Sourcebook
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Mendes was born in Trinidad, the eldest of six children in a
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From Trinidad: An Anthology of early West Indian Writing
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From Trinidad: An Anthology of Early West Indian Writing
266:. Mendes is best known as the author of two novels —
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548:is inspired by Mendes' First World War stories.
907:The Autobiography of Alfred H. Mendes 1897–1991
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639:The Autobiography of Alfred H. Mendes 1897–1991
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512:The Autobiography of Alfred H. Mendes 1897–1991
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329:, along the Belgian Front, and was awarded a
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696:(Supplement). 28 January 1918. p. 1392.
449:, appeared in 1934, with an introduction by
337:, and was sent back to Britain to recover.
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887:, Greenwood Press, 1986, pp. 318–326.
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585:Michael Hughes, "Mendes, Alfred Hubert",
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254:) in Trinidad and Tobago which included
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284:, written and directed by his grandson
278:were the inspiration for the 2019 film
37:Mendes as a teenager during World War I
904:Alfred H. Mendes; Michèle Levy (ed.),
633:Alfred H. Mendes; Michèle Levy (ed.),
1188:British Army personnel of World War I
865:The Autobiography of Alfred H. Mendes
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812:The Autobiography of Alfred H. Mendes
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710:The Autobiography of Alfred H. Mendes
651:The Autobiography of Alfred H. Mendes
587:A Companion to West Indian Literature
7:
723:"Director Sam Mendes discusses 1917"
508:University of the West Indies Press
93:Member of "Beacon group" of writers
850:Introduction to Alfred H. Mendes,
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1178:Deaths from pneumonia in Barbados
1153:Trinidad and Tobago Presbyterians
344:, in the making of his 2019 film
1193:Recipients of the Military Medal
1168:20th-century short story writers
785:, Greenwood Press, 1986, p. 319.
244:(18 November 1897 – 1991) was a
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883:, in Daryl Cumber Dance (ed.),
835:Michèle Levy, Introduction to
794:Michèle Levy, Introduction to
607:Mendes, Alfred Hubert (2002).
325:, and fought for two years in
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1143:Trinidad and Tobago novelists
501:University of the West Indies
1074:(2024, creator and director)
729:. Directors Guild of America
323:1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade
85:Novelist, short-story writer
71:1991 (aged 93–94)
457:in 1935. Both published by
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890:Reinhard W. Sander (ed.),
673:Reinhard W. Sander (ed.),
566:, London: Duckworth, 1935.
560:, London: Duckworth, 1934.
492:and ultimately settled in
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382:, the journal edited by
292:Early life and education
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954:Awards and nominations
762:West Indian Literature
479:1946 general elections
453:, and was followed by
445:Mendes's first novel,
306:Hitchin Grammar School
552:Selected bibliography
173:Years of service
879:Reinhard W. Sander,
867:(2002), pp. 112–114.
848:Michèle Levy (ed.),
773:Reinhard W. Sander,
394:In 1933, he went to
239:Alfred Hubert Mendes
47:Alfred Hubert Mendes
839:(2002), pp. xix–xx.
61:Trinidad and Tobago
1053:(2022, also wrote)
1043:(2019, also wrote)
1000:Revolutionary Road
881:"Alfred H. Mendes"
779:Daryl Cumber Dance
775:"Alfred H. Mendes"
693:The London Gazette
542:, whose 2019 film
264:Ralph de Boissière
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370:Together with
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167:British Army
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99:Notable work
18:
1133:1991 deaths
1128:1897 births
688:"No. 30498"
564:Black Fauns
469:Later years
455:Black Fauns
276:World War I
272:Black Fauns
270:(1934) and
205:World War I
108:Black Fauns
1122:Categories
1062:Television
1010:Away We Go
945:Sam Mendes
733:24 January
571:References
558:Pitch Lake
540:Sam Mendes
521:Cemetery.
447:Pitch Lake
380:The Beacon
342:Sam Mendes
286:Sam Mendes
268:Pitch Lake
251:The Beacon
135:Allegiance
121:(grandson)
119:Sam Mendes
104:Pitch Lake
53:1897-11-18
531:pneumonia
459:Duckworth
115:Relatives
808:Synopsis
747:Sander,
494:Barbados
486:Mallorca
376:Trinidad
327:Flanders
153:Service/
106:(1934);
75:Barbados
1083:Related
1030:Spectre
1020:Skyfall
990:Jarhead
781:(ed.),
727:dga.com
207: (
1033:(2015)
1023:(2012)
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983:(2002)
973:(1999)
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438:, and
218:Awards
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155:branch
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110:(1935)
777:, in
389:Paris
1040:1917
735:2020
615:ISBN
591:ISBN
545:1917
488:and
352:1917
347:1917
281:1917
262:and
191:Unit
181:Rank
68:Died
43:Born
510:as
210:WIA
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51:(
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