The Fortunate Life
of a Vindicatrix Boy
by John Williams
228-page paperback, illustrated
Published by John Williams
ISBN 1 921019 21 2

John Williams trained at the Vindicatrix Sea Training School in Sharpness, England in 1951 and served on the cargo ship Coulgarve; the tanker Athelknight and the migrant liner/troopship New Australia.

He devised an elaborate scheme to jump ship in Australia by coming off another vessel as a migrant and later under a Government amnesty he became a dual citizen. After a short stint in a Brisbane factory he was hired by a hypnotist as a stooge for a travelling stage show, later becoming the compere.

From this humble beginning in show business, he later was involved with The Beatles on tour, Judy Garland, Dudley Moore and Marty Feldman.
John has been a journalist, public relations consultant, a magazine editor for Rupert Murdoch and has run his own advertising agency.

He has been involved in many international projects including the Australian campaign at the Cannes Film Festival, the Americas Cup and the staging of his own yacht race from Sydney to Rio de Janiero. John has also criss-crossed the Australian outback by foot.

The Fortunate Life of a Vindicatrix Boy is a bright and colourful yarn about life as a boy in 1940s Liverpool, adventurous, funny and frightening times at sea and more than 50 years in ever evolving Australia.