John Mariner was born in Oxford in 1936. After a preparatory education in Oxford he was educated at Ryde School in the Isle of Wight. He later opted to Join the Royal Air Force where he served in many counties around the world until he became involved with 'In-flight Navigation Bombing Systems'. He retired from the Royal Air Force in 1972 as husband to Margaret and then joined Oxfam's team of fund raisers until 1990. He is now content to write books about England's Royal Navy and about the brave men who did so much to protect our land. All John Mariner's books are "dedicated to his elder brother, Peter, who, as a Royal Navy Bomb Clearance Diver, died at sea in tragic circumstances on 12th January 1972."