Kintyre Writers’ Circle founder pens competition winning story
THE RELATIONSHIP between a married couple and a Second World War Derby-class military vessel inspired a story which won Diana Manning a place in a magazine she has long admired.
Mrs Manning, originally from Cornwall but now living in Drumlemble, submitted her short story Whispers from the Past to the Evergreen Quarterly magazine for their first ever competition.
Confirmation
On Wednesday June 8, after three months of waiting, she finally received confirmation that she had won the prize when she opened up the June edition and found her story staring back at her.
Diana said: ‘I submitted the story on Easter Monday, so it’s been a long, frustrating wait to find out if it had a place.
‘I was really surprised and so proud to see my name in there after reading the magazine for so long.’
Diana moved to Kintyre with her husband John in 2002, and the keen writer set up the Kintyre Writers’ Circle in 2006 alongside Fay Webb. The couple will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary on June 28 next week.
The competition-winning story is inspired by John’s purchase of the Derby-class launch vessel Hyperion, which was built in 1943 and used in Normandy during the D-Day landings.
The boat notably took on board His Royal Highness King George VI on August 19, 1944, to give him a grand tour of the Mulberry harbours.
John, who has a rich naval military family background and recently overcame bladder cancer, said: ‘We used to visit Dorset, and the Hyperion was moored there. I came into some money and could not resist her.
‘£11,000 later, we had completely repainted and refurbished her, and tracked down her former crew members to let them know she was being taken care of.’
Smallest craft
When the couple retired and decided to relocate to Kintyre, John tried to move the Hyperion up to Campbeltown Harbour, but was told there was not enough room to accommodate the 48ft triple screw fast launch, which became one of the smallest craft to reach Normandy on D-Day under her own power on June 6, 1944.
He said: ‘It was so hard to see it go when we sold it.
‘If I won the lottery tomorrow I would go back and buy her in an instant.’
The Hyperion is now believed to be on the south-west coast of England.
Diana was also sorry to relinquish the boat, but never regrets the pair moving to Argyll.
She said: ‘We absolutely love it here. We have lovely neighbours and friends, not to mention some very talented writers in the Kintyre Writers’ Circle.’
Anyone wishing to read Diana’s story Whispers from the Past can find it in the latest edition of the Evergreen Quarterly magazine.