Reginald Campbell

Reginald Campbell (1894–1950) was a British writer and former Naval officer in WWI then an assistant forest manager in Siam in the 1920s. His novel Poo Lorn of the Elephants was filmed by Alejandro Jodorowsky in 1980 under the name Tusk. Another novel, Tiger Valley, was filmed in 1936 by Howard Bretherton as The Girl from Mandalay. He described his personal experiences from Thailand in the book Teak-Wallah: The Adventures of a Young Englishman in Thailand in the 1920s.

In his book Teak Wallah, he describes a character called Smith, his assistant in Muang Ngow - Flight Lieutenant 'Dick' Frederick Murison, who almost died from fever in the teak jungle and later served as a bomber pilot in Afghanistan in the late 20s. Orwell may be Mr. W. Elder, Forest Manager of Anglo-Siam Forest Company, a heroic figure who lived amongst the elephants of Muang Ngow near Lakon (in the book Nakon) and retired in Riverhead, Kent dying in about 1935. He gives a fairly accurate appraisal of life as an assistant forest manager with its dangers from disease and wild animals while logging teak with elephants.

Campbell also wrote a book about an elephant breeder and trader in Siam in the 1920s called "Jungle Nights." The rapturous conclusion is a full-on Roman-style elephant charge in phalanx formation against the evil Mongol elephant trader who is stampeding a wild herd into his compound that is unintentionally hilarious. Tubby Kenson's character (a bumbling teak wallah who the hero, Jim Dales (Reggie), takes the gal, Pat Bell from) may be based partly on Fred Murison, to whom Reggie handed his signed book in Dec 1934. Fred was not impressed. This book is out of print and rare.He wrote "Cruiser In Action" about his Naval experiences. 'Fear in the Forest' is more jungle stuff.