ERIC (NOEL) HEBDEN

COMMANDO TITLES

 (POCKET HOMEPAGE) 

 

 

Created: March 24th, 2020

Updated: October 2nd, 2024   

 

Eric Noel Hebden was born in Keighley, Yorkshire, on 25th December 1910. He won a scholarship to Keighley Grammar School, before the family moved to Clowne, Derbyshire, during his teens. He joined the Royal Artillery at the age of 18 and was posted to Hong Kong. After five years there in 1937 or '38, the troop ship taking him, and his regiment home put in at Gibraltar.

It was in Gibraltar he met Mercedes Andrew, whom he married in 1940. She was evacuated with the rest of the civilian population, and gave birth to their first child, Susan, in 1941. Eric gained a commission and was promoted to Captain, commanding a coastal anti-aircraft battery using radar. He later served in the far east, including India, Burma and Indonesia, and after the Japanese surrender, by now a Major, he sat on the War Crimes Commission in Singapore. Mercedes and Susan joined him there in 1947. The family returned to England in 1949, settling in Bristol, where their second child, Alan, was born in 1950. Eric was to take up a posting in Japan, but Alan needed an operation on a club foot, so he stayed in Bristol.

He retired from the army after 25 years' service. He had long written as a hobby, including poetry and army revues, and while working for the Civil Service at an army depot in Shropshire he entered a competition to write a romance comic strip. He didn't win, but he did get work out of it, writing for various romance titles, including photo-strips. Later he found a niche in war comics, writing for Commando, Battle Picture Library and Lion in the 1960s, and Battle Picture Weekly (for which he also acted as technical adviser), including “Day of the Eagle”, "The Fortrose Falcon" and "Iron Cross of Courage", in the 1970s.

Eric wrote over 130 scripts for Commando. His son Alan followed in his footsteps as a writer for Commando and other publications.

During the 60s he was appointed Executive Officer at the National Army Museum and when the Museum moved to London in 1971, he took early retirement.

Eric moved into a retirement home for ex-servicemen in Bexhill. He died there in 1989.

 

Vic Whittle March 2020

 

 

 

 

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ERIC (NOEL) HEBDEN

Author

for

Commando Comics

1961 - 1976

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#3 A GUY NEED GUTS

Eric’s title: A Guy Needs Guts

July 1961

#1032 ESCAPE – OR DIE!

Eric’s title: Escape to Die

Late May 1976

SOME OF ERIC’S COMMANDO STORY SCRIPTS

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68

SPEARHEAD

Eric’s title: The Line-Shooter

Early May 1963

152

SKY BLITZ

Eric’s title: The Old Glory

Early February 1965

300

BORN TO FIGHT

Eric’s title: The Cracking Point

Early December 1967

498

Z SQUAD

Eric’s title: The Zodiac Squad

Early September 1970

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622

OPERATION S.O.L.O.

Eric’s title: Lost in Limbo

Early February 1972

702

VALLEY OF THE LOST

Eric’s title: The Camel Gunners

Early December 1972

840

HARD-LUCK HERO

Eric’s title: Johnny Jinx

Late May 1974

1013

FIGHTING LEGIONNAIRE

Eric’s title: Fighting Legionnaire

Early March 1976

 

 

 

 

Following is a list of titles attributed to Eric Hebden.

Original titles in blue.

Reprinted titles in yellow.

 

3 A GUY NEEDS GUTS

842 THUNDER MOUNTAIN

8 RED RUNS THE RIVER

848 HONOUR AMONG HEROES

11 CLOSER THAN BROTHERS

856 ALWAYS PAY YOUR DEBTS

17 THE KNIFER

857 THE LUCK OF THE LOGANS

19 THE DEATH DEALERS

859 CODEWORD - "TORCH"

23 HILL 13

863 SPACE PILOT

25 TAKE NO PRISONERS!

872 PATROL OF THE LOST

30 ISLAND OF GHOSTS

884 SECRET MISSION

32 GLIDER PILOT

888 THE FIGHTING FOOLS

39 DIGGERS DIE HARD

893 FULL FATHOM FIVE...

40 LONE WOLF

901 A DEBT OF HONOUR

44 KILLER SHIP

909 U-BOAT HERO

45 FOG OF DOOM

915 BLOOD OF HEROES

51 DEATH HUNT

920 PROJECT "DOOMSDAY"

57 TARGET FOR TONIGHT

925 REDCAP RAT

58 TATTOOED HERO

929 ONE MAN'S WAR

67 HOUNDS OF WAR

942 THE KILLING-GROUND

68 SPEARHEAD!

956 NEVER SURRENDER

72 SNIPER'S ISLAND

959 McGINTY'S MOB

84 HERO FROM HOLLYWOOD

978 RIDERS OF TERROR

86 SOLO SMITH

990 ROGUE SUB

89 SPY IN BATTLE-DRESS

1009 TO FREEDOM

92 BIG GUY

1019 JOHNNY THE JINX

97 MOUNTAIN GUN

1032 ESCAPE - OR DIE!

98 VALLEY OF SECRET WEAPONS

1047 CRACKSHOT

99 MISSION MOST SECRET

1079 HUNT THE KILLER

113 FIGHTING BREED

1131 BLADE OF HONOUR

120 PORTRAIT OF DEATH

1287 STRIKE SWIFT - STRIKE SURE

121 KILLER GUN

1403 Z SQUAD

126 DUEL IN THE JUNGLE

1419 DEAD-EYE DONOVAN

137 SILVER BUGLE

1459 DESERT FOX

139 KILLER CREW

1476 JUNGLE DUEL

143 BLOOD BEACH

1508 THE KILLING SKULL

152 SKY BLITZ

1556 THE DEATH OR GLORY MOB

158 ISLAND OF FEAR

1620 BLACK KNIGHT'S OF WAR

161 BORN BRAVE

1627 NOOSE FOR A HERO

175 SKY WARRIOR

1651 THE RIFLEMAN

177 THE FIGHTING McTAGGART

1676 THE PIRATES FROM SUB 13

181 RED BERET

1747 FLASH-POINT!

185 THE FOUR SCARS

1764 LYNCH'S MOB

200 DESERT RAT

1771 OPERATION S.O.L.O.

204 YANKEE BUDDY

1779 COMPANY OF HEROES

214 ESCAPE TO DANGER

1827 WHERE THE ACTION IS!

215 DAWN DROP

1876 VALLEY OF THE LOST

217 SPACE PILOT

1900 THE WINNING STREAK

220 CODEWORD - "TORCH"

1923 SON OF A TRAITOR

228 TALONS OF WAR

1931 NO STOPPING THEM!

240 CROOKED CROSS

1939 THE BIG SNATCH

254 MISSION MOST DANGEROUS

1948 TRAIL OF THE TIGER

259 BLOOD OF HEROES

1956 BATTLE FOR BURMA

270 RUNAWAY HERO

1964 WEEK-END WARRIORS

273 BLACK SCHNEIDER

2003 THE CIRCUS WENT TO WAR

277 THE TRAP

2012 PIRATE!

279 McGINTY'S MOB

2020 THE MAN WHO WOULD NOT KILL

300 BORN TO FIGHT

2035 THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE

301 JOHNNY THE JINX

2044 BIG GUN

306 THE DEADLY MEN

2051 ROAMING IN THE GLOAMING

310 HAND OF VENGEANCE

2099 FROM OUT OF THE SEA...

326 LONE STAND

2124 SON OF THE VIKING

338 THE WILD ONE

2163 THE FIGHTING FOOLS

340 CRACKSHOT

2179 FULL FATHOM FIVE...

341 THE LAST BULLET

2203 REDCAP RAT

356 HUNT THE KILLER

2211 U-BOAT HERO

357 TEST OF COURAGE

2212 PROJECT "DOOMSDAY"

359 TERROR SQUAD

2283 THE KILLING GROUND

365 BLADE OF HONOUR

2308 RIDERS OF TERROR

441 STRIKE SWIFT - STRIKE SURE

2363 ESCAPE - OR DIE!

481 DEAD-EYE DONOVAN

2539 A GUY NEEDS GUTS!

498 Z SQUAD

2579 RED RUNS THE RIVER

509 RAGS OF GLORY

4359 JOHNNY THE JINX

514 DESERT FOX

 4365 CLOSER THAN BROTHERS

515 JUNGLE DUEL

4389 RED RUNS THE RIVER

532 THE KILLING SKULL

4433 BOSS OF THE BARBARY APES

539 SNIPER'S ISLAND

4434 NEVER GIVE IN!

559 HERO FROM HOLLYWOOD

4437 A GUY NEEDS GUTS

561 THE  DEATH OR GLORY MOB

4448 THE FOUR SCARS

 563 SOLO SMITH

4456 VALLEY OF SECRET WEAPONS

566 BLACK KNIGHT'S OF WAR

4473 KILLER SHIP

568 BOSS OF THE BARBARY APES

4481 HILL 13

576 NOOSE FOR A HERO

4485 THE DEATH DEALERS

583 MOUNTAIN GUN

4493 GLIDER PILOT

591 VALLEY OF SECRET WEAPONS

4505 DIGGERS DIE HARD

592 THE RIFLEMAN

4525 ISLAND OF GHOSTS

596 THE PIRATES FROM SUB 13

4529 TAKE NO PRISONERS!

610 COMPANY OF HEROES

4557 FOG OF DOOM

622 OPERATION S.O.L.O.

4562 FROM OUT OF THE SEA...

624 FLASH-POINT

4581 HERO FROM HOLLYWOOD

630 NONE SO BRAVE

4593 MOUNTAIN GUN

636 BIG JAKE

4605 TARGET FOR TONIGHT

645 LYNCH'S MOB

4609 BIG GUY

654 NEVER GIVE IN!

4613 SPY IN BATTLE-DRESS

655 PORTRAIT OF DEATH

4620 TATTOOED HERO

656 DESERT JOHNNY

4622 REDCAP RAT

659 KILLER GUN

4644 SPEARHEAD!

665 STONE OF BLOOD

4664 HOUNDS OF WAR

666 WHERE THE ACTION IS

4680 DUEL IN THE JUNGLE

671 DUEL IN THE JUNGLE

4700 SILVER BUGLE

678 THE BAYONET FIGHTERS

4708 KILLER GUN

681 BEWARE THE WOLF

4712 BLOOD BEACH

702 VALLEY OF THE LOST

4740 PORTRAIT OF DEATH

710 BOY HERO

4888 CODEWORD - "TORCH"

711 SILVER BUGLE

4924 SPACE PILOT

716 BATTLE FOR BURMA

4960 BLOOD OF HEROES

717 THE WINNING STREAK

4964 YANKEE BUDDY

719 KILLER CREW

5036 HUNT THE KILLER

720 NIGHTMARE PATROL

5084 STRIKE SWIFT - STRIKE SURE

723 BLOOD BEACH

5168 BLACK SCHNEIDER

730 SON OF A TRAITOR

5200 SKY BLITZ

733 TRAIL OF THE TIGER

5212 NONE SO BRAVE

737 THE BIG SNATCH

5228 BEWARE THE WOLF

738 NO STOPPING THEM!

5248 BOY HERO

748 WEEK-END WARRIORS

5256 NIGHTMARE PATROL

752 BADGE OF HONOUR

5272 TEN DAYS TO LIVE

757 PIRATE!

5296 THE BAYONET FIGHTERS

760 TEN DAYS TO LIVE

5328 THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE

766 ROAMING IN THE GLOAMING

5336 THE CIRCUS WENT TO WAR

774 THE CIRCUS WENT TO WAR

5364 BORN BRAVE

775 ISLAND OF FEAR

5372 McGINTY’S MOB

779 BORN BRAVE

5420 CRACKSHOT

780 BIG GUN

5432 BLADE OF HONOUR

792 THE MAN WHO WOULD NOT KILL

5452 LONE WOLF

797 THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE

5532 SON OF THE VIKING

825 FROM OUT OF THE SEA...

5596 DEAD-EYE DONOVAN

828 SON OF THE VIKING

5632 NEVER SURRENDER

831 THE FOUR SCARS

5735 SNIPER’S ISLAND

840 HARD-LUCK HERO

5736 KILLER CREW

© D. C. Thomson & Co Ltd

Vic Whittle 2020