[2] He was awarded an Honorary Master of Education degree by the University of the West of England in 1999[3] and appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.

His father was Captain Ronald King-Smith DSO MC, who ran several paper mills.

[1] He was a soldier in World War II, serving with the Grenadier Guards in Italy, and a farmer for 20 years before he became a teacher at Farmborough Primary School and author.

On 12 July 1944, King-Smith was seriously injured by a British hand grenade thrown by a German soldier.

[1] Myrle died in 2000, and King-Smith subsequently married Zona Bedding, a family friend.