Bernard Cornwell, was born at 23.February 1944 in London. His father was an airman from Canada, while his mother was English, a member of the Womens Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted by the Wiggins family from Essex, who were very strict Protestans. They banned nearly everything even medicine. When he was old enough he left them, and changed his name to his mother's maiden name, Cornwell. The first novel he wrote was Sharpe`s Eagle , which was followed by Sharpe`s Gold , both published 1981. In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire