The original inspiration for Hazel's Character

[Mallow]

Today I learned the original inspiration for the character Hazel, the leader of the original band of rabbits, was Major John Grifford from the Royal Army Service Corps. According to an interview, He was the commanding officer of Richard Adams when he was in the army.

IMHO this was not only a template for the Hazel character. Rather, his relationship with his CO and the army prompted him to create the Watership Down experience.

For this thread, I want to ask if you agree and also when you had to work as a team to survive and thrive against adversity of a thousand enemies.

[Myrkin]

Was this interview posted anywhere on Internet?

...and also when you had to work as a team to survive and thrive against adversity of a thousand enemies.

In real life? Never. Unless you include in that pretend-fighting, like playing paintball.

[Acacia Heartstrings]

Richard Adams based his characters on real people ?. I mean of course ... Watership Down is  but...seriously ?. Otherwise it's amazing. There had never imagined such a thing ...  

[Mallow]

Richard Adams based his characters on real people ?. I mean of course ... Watership Down is  but...seriously ?. Otherwise it's amazing. There had never imagined such a thing ...  

Yeah, his life is pretty interesting.

Was this interview posted anywhere on Internet?

He does IAmA's on reddit once in a long while. Here's the link to the interview I mentioned.

That was around 6 months ago. The first one was about a year ago.

The interviews are authentic via a liaison on reddit's payroll.

[Hyzenthlay69]

Richard Adams based his characters on real people ?. I mean of course ... Watership Down is  but...seriously ?. Otherwise it's amazing. There had never imagined such a thing ...  

Seeing as how well-developed the characters were each with a distinct personality I'm not surprised though.

[Lord of the Lough]

I feel very smug about knowing this already!    I think there wasba passage in the front of the two WD books about Adams and his ideas for the characters.