Maurice Matthews
I was born and raised in the British community in the southern suburbs of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was educated at St Albans College and San Agustin School. I participated actively in sports clubs and the Boy Scouts. In 1975, I was conscripted into military service, serving with the Grenadier Guards at Government House during a period of political upheaval that culminated in the removal of the Peronist government.
After completing my military service, and after working for a season on a Patagonian sheep farm, I dedicated my career to education. In 1980, I married my wife, Alice, and together we began a teaching life that took us across Argentina and beyond, with appointments in the Islas Malvinas/Falkland Islands, Rio Negro, Buenos Aires, and Mar del Plata. During these years, we raised three children, each born in a different place and chapter of our journey.
At the turn of the millennium, we migrateds a family to Hamilton, New Zealand, where we continue to live. My life has been shaped by teaching, travel, family, and first-hand experience of remarkable moments in history.
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Two Hill Island
Two Hill Island, a gripping wartime adventure set in 1942 follows one boy’s courage, resilience, and determination during a secret mission on a Sub-Antarctic Island, off the coast of New Zealand
Fifteen-year-old Matthew Mac Iver is determined to prove he is more than the troublemaker his father believes him to be. When his older brother is sent on a secret military mission, Matt follows him and unexpectedly finds himself aboard the HMNZS Kea, bound for a remote island off the New Zealand coast.
The island, however, holds a dangerous secret. When the mission begins to unravel, Matt is cut off, hunted, and forced to rely on his wits, courage, and survival instincts.
From the stormy seas of Tolaga Bay to the treacherous hills of Two Hill Island, Matt’s fight for survival becomes a powerful test of loyalty, family, and what it truly means to be brave.
The story is informed by my own experience of living on a sub-Antarctic island, my survival knowledge, and my army background.
As a long-time language teacher who has worked closely with young people, I wrote Two Hill Island with independent readers and classroom use in mind.
· Two Hill Island — ISBN-13: 979-8252394732.