John Hay Beith

John Hay Beith, CBE and MC, was equally well known as Ian Hay, author and playwright. Most of his works were aimed at pleasing readers and audiences with his own element of fun and humour.

Although born in Manchester, Beith’s parents were Scottish, and he never forgot his Scottish heritage. After early schooling in Manchester, he was educated at Fettes School, Edinburgh before going to St. John’s College. Cambridge. After university he went into teaching, and amongst his positions was one back at his old school, Fettes. His first novel Pip was published in 1907 and before the outbreak of World War I he had five more to his name, and in 1912 had turned to writing full-time.

Beith served with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during the War and saw action in France. He was mentioned in dispatches and won the military cross. He was also awarded the CBE. By the outbreak of the War, Beith had established himself as a respected author, and on publication of The First Hundred Thousand in 1915, which gave an insight into the lighter side of Army life, his already good reputation, got better. Beith wrote his first play Tilly of Bloomsbury in 1919, and that is when he adopted the name Ian Hay. In total, he wrote more than 30 books, and 20 plays.

During World War II, Beith, then a major-general, was offered the post of director of public relations at the War Office, which he held until 1941. He also served 25 years on the governing body of Guy’s Hospital in London.