Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Part Two starts over breakfast newspapers with Mr American reading, in 1914, among other things, of a forthcoming tour of England of the American All-Star White Sox and the National League Giants. What sport were they representing?
2. Arthur, Peggy's brother, was talking about resigning his British Army commission as, in 1914, there was a serious risk of civil war, but where?
3. While his wife is away in Switzerland, Mr American ran into an old flame, the actress, Pip Delys. She was to be 'hung' twice in the Royal Academy. One of the pictures was by an Italian artist with the first name Fortunino. He became one of the foremost illustrators of the First World War, mainly for the British magazine the 'Sphere'. He also also illustrated some Edgar Rice Burroughs novels in the 1920s-30s. Armed with this information, what was his surname?
4. At dinner, Pip told Mr American about a George Bernard Shaw play that was to open next month if the Lord Chamberlain didn't ban it, 'all about a flower-girl and this chap teaches her to be a lady, and she shocks everyone by saying "bloody"'. Of what George Bernard Shaw play is this a remarkably succint summing-up?
5. Mr American found out that Peggy and Arthur had swindled ten thousand pounds out of him to buy guns for the Ulster Loyalists, when a newspaper reported that the ship 'Fanny' had landed rifles and ammunition in Ireland. Where had these guns come from?
6. George V became the first reigning monarch to attend what at Crystal Palace on 25 April 1914?
7. Mr American accompanied Pip to the Royal Academy, where the sensation that year was entitled 'A Very Gallant Gentleman', by John Charles Dollman. The Very Gallant Gentleman's last recorded words were "I am just going outside and may be some time". Who was he?
8. Whilst Pip and Mr American were visiting the Royal Academy, a suffragette did something to a picture. What suffragette outrage did this fictional act mirror?
9. Mr American's brother-in-law, Arthur, was killed at the so-called 'Bachelor's Walk Massacre', when Major Haig of the King's Own Scottish Borderers, ordered his men to fire over the crowd, but the panicky soldiers fired into it. What famous novelist, author of 'The Riddle of the Sands', had run the guns into Howth that started the incident off?
10. War was about to break out in Europe, and Mr American dined with another character created by George MacDonald Fraser, the irrepressible Flashman, then 92 years old. Typically, Flashman decided he needed a bathroom and browbeat passing policemen to take him to Buckingham Palace, where the crowds had gathered and were singing the National Anthem. As he went through the gates he invited Mr American to join him, saying that he had first driven through those gates 72 years ago with a national hero, so wouldn't Mr American like to be the last to accompany him? In 1842, this national hero and erstwhile Prime Minister was a Minister without Portfolio and Leader of the House of Lords. Who was he?
11. When Mr American went to enquire about his status in England, the US Embassy at first thought he wanted to join up. What regiment, originally the '62nd (Royal American) Regiment', that was mentioned in 'The Last of the Mohicans', were Americans joining?
12. When Mr American dismissed his personal servant, Thomas Samson, prior to returning to America. Samson said that he was joining up. Tactfully enquiring about Samson's age, he learned that Samson was joining a group of irregulars, because of a gentleman named Selous. The group he was joining was the 'Legion of Frontiersmen'. They eventually became 'The 25th (Frontiersmen) Service Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)' and fought with distinction in East Africa. Comprising, like Samson, older men, including Boer War veterans, Rough Riders, French Foreign Legionaries and a circus clown among others, what was their nickname?
13. Mr American passed an evening reading one of the latest books 'Beasts and Superbeasts'. What was the pen name of the author, H. H. Munro?
14. At Liverpool, Mr American encountered The King's Regiment (Liverpool), who had once been the 8th (the King's) Regiment of Foot and served in America, where they had picked up their Regimental Quick March, when a play by Sheridan had crossed the ocean. What play?
15. On which Cunard liner, nicknamed 'Ship Beautiful', was Mr American booked to leave on her maiden voyage to New York on 30 May 1914?
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