Christopher Holcroft

Christopher J. Holcroft RFD, JP
File:Christopher H.JPG
Born	(1953-06-15) 15 June 1953 Cooma, New South Wales
Occupation	Writer, Author, Journalist, Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel
Nationality	Australian
Citizenship	Australia
Education	BA Communications, MA Comm (Org-Comm)
Alma mater	Charles Sturt University
Spouse	Yvonne
Children	Three
Website
christopherholcroft.net

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Christopher John Holcroft, RFD, JP (born 15 June 1953) is an Australian author. He is best known as the author of the Scott Morrow adventure trilogy, which consists of the books Only The Brave Dare, Canyon, and A Rite of Passage. He has also written Finding Thomas, and One Last Concert in his Afterlife series.

Life and work

Holcroft was born in Cooma, New South Wales, during Australia's largest ever building project, the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme. He was born to Allan and Shirley Holcroft along with his brothers Mark and Peter and his sisters Liane and Nerida.

Holcroft started school at St Joseph's Primary School, Riverwood from classes Kindergarten to Year Three. He then moved to De La Salle College, Kingsgrove for Years Four to Seven. De La Salle closed its doors as a boys school in 1999 and later re-opened as the girls only school known as St Ursula's College. Holcroft transferred to Peakhurst High School in Sydney's south in 1965 in Year Seven and graduated from Year 12 in 1970. The school is now part of the Georges River Campus. He started work two weeks later at Sydney's The Sun newspaper as a copyboy. Within a year he began his formal cadetship as a Journalist and completed his training in 1974 when he became graded. Christopher worked for and contributed to a series of newspaper mastheads for more than 20 years including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Daily Telegraph, The Australian and a string of suburban papers, lastly, editing The District Reporter in Camden, New South Wales.

He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications, majoring in Journalism and Communication Technology at the University of Technology, Sydney, later completing his master's degree in Communications (Organisational Communication) at Charles Sturt University. Holcroft followed his grandfather, New Zealand author M. H. Holcroft, into a career in journalism and writing. He also followed his uncle, New Zealand author Anthony Holcroft, in writing children's and adult books.

Military

In 1974, Holcroft joined the Australian Army as a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve as an infantryman, rising to the rank of temporary sergeant. He was commissioned as a lieutenant in 1982 into the Australian Army's PR Corps, the Australian Army Public Relations Service, and rose through the ranks to become the Corps' first Reserve lieutenant colonel in 1999. Holcroft graduated from the Australian Army's Reserve Command and Staff College as a captain in 1987 and a major in 1992. He saw active service in East Timor in 2000 as part of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) and was posted in Iraq in 2006 as part of the Australian Army's Operation Catalyst based in Baghdad. Holcroft was awarded the Reserve Force Decoration (RFD) in 1998 and the Australian Active Service Medal for his tour of duty to East Timor, in 2001. He was presented with the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Australian Defence Medal and the Iraq Campaign Clasp to the Australian Active Service Medal in 2006. Holcroft was also part of a Unit Commendation to the 1st Joint Public Affairs Unit by Australia's Chief of the Defence Force. In 2015, Holcroft celebrated 41 years of service in the Active Army Reserve before moving to the Standby Reserves.

In 2015 Holcroft took on a dual role with the with the Australian Army Cadets as a lieutenant colonel and National Communication Manager.

Scouting

Since 1968 Holcroft has been a member of Scouts Australia as a "Senior Scout" (now called Venturers), Assistant Venturer Leader and Venturer Leader in charge of youths aged 14 to 18, (with some breaks in service). During his time as a Senior Scout and Venturer, he gained his Queen's Scout Award and the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award. When he became a youth leader, he gained his Wood Badge and was awarded the Silver Wattle Award for meritorious service and the Silver Kangaroo for distinguished service. He has served almost 40 years as a Leader in Scouting in posts including Assistant Venturer Leader, Venturer Leader and District Venturer Leader.

He is also a Justice of the Peace.

Honours and Awards

Ribbon	Description	Notes
	Australian Active Service Medal	with EAST TIMOR and IRAQ clasps (2001)
	Iraq Medal (Australia)	(2006)
	Reserve Force Decoration with 3 Rosettes (RFD)	For 30–34 years of service (1997)
	Australian Defence Medal	(2006)

Additional awards:

• Australian Chief of Defence Force Unit Commendation to the 1st Joint Public Affairs Unit
• New South Wales Scout Silver Wattle Award for Meritorious service

Books

In 2008, Australia celebrated its Centenary of Scouting, and Holcroft wrote the first two novels in the Scott Morrow adventure trilogy to mark the occasion: Only The Brave Dare and Canyon.

In 2010, Holcroft completed the trilogy with A Rite of Passage All three books followed the adventures of a group of venturers and a teenager who never wanted to be a hero but whom his country needed.

In 2011, Holcroft published the first book in his Afterlife series, Finding Thomas. He explores what happens after someone dies in novel form using a teenage central character called Kit Green, in a focus on near death experiences.

The second book in Holcroft's Afterlife series is One Last Concert. It was published in April 2013. In One Last Concert Holcroft explores how to move on the spirits of people who have died suddenly and are trapped on Earth.

Influences

Holcroft's inspirations for his novel writing were drawn from real life experiences as a newspaper reporter, a soldier and a Venturer leader. He found a lack of imaginative, challenging and adventurous books available for teenage boys to read, so he wrote his novels to encourage boys to read more and enjoy the great outdoors. At his various book launches and discussion groups among adults he found a distinct lack of knowledge about God or a superior being, and what happens when people die among adults so he started his afterlife series as a way of introducing the subject of death but adding an adventurous tale to it.

Personal life

Holcroft lives in Banksia, New South Wales, where he wrote his first five books. He is married with three sons.

Bibliography

Scott Morrow Trilogy

• Only The Brave Dare, Infinity Publishing, 2011
• Canyon, Poseidon Books, 2008
• A Rite Of Passage, Infinity Publishing, 2010

Afterlife Series

• Finding Thomas, Infinity Publishing, 2011
• One Last Concert, Infinity Publishing, 2013

External links

• Official website
• Only The Brave Dare. Pat Pledger, ReadPlus book review: Accessed 2012-09-05
• Canyon. St George and Sutherland Shire Leader newspaper
• A Rite Of Passage. St George and Sutherland Shire Leader newspaper
• One Last Concert. St George and Sutherland Shire Leader newspaper
• Anthony Holcroft. New Zealand children's book author Anthony Holcroft
• Australian Army Public Relations Service. Australian Army Public Relations Service

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