Author Jerred Metz discussed his new historical novel, "The Angel of Mons: A World War I Legend," at Well Read Books in Fulton Thursday.
The National Churchill Museum sponsored the book discussion, which focused on Metz's decision to incorporate Sir Winston Churchill in his novel.
The Angel of Mons myth comes from British Army accounts in the Battle of Mons at the beginning of World War I. Soldiers claimed to have witnessed St. George and a myriad of angels appear on the battle field and protected the British army in its fight against German forces.
According to popular legend, The Angel of Mons is considered a military miracle.
"It wouldn't be enough of a novel if it was just a battlefield novel," Metz said. "Partly out of my academic background and sense, I knew there would have been a reaction to the legend of the Angel of Mons or reports of the Angel of Mons in England, particularly among the satiric, spiritualists and mystical societies."
He knew he'd be looking for connections between the people most recognized in those areas, hoping that one would be Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the other, William Butler Yeats.
In his research, he discovered one of the instrumental figures in presenting the idea of the St. George's appearance was Phyllis Campbell - the daughter of Lady Archibald Campbell - also the aunt of Winston Churchill.
With this information, Metz said he was able to find a genuine connection between the Angel of Mons myth and someone who was one of the first to report on the angels appearing and Churchill.
"From my perspective, he's one of the major actors of western democracy in the 20th Century," Metz said. "There are other people in the military or government who might have played a role but they weren't as significant. I thought maybe somehow I could work Churchill in the novel to honor him."
While researching for his novel, Metz was also hoping that he would find a connection between Conan Doyle and Churchill.
Metz said although there may have never been a connection, he was able to find the work that their wives did developing aid for the refugees and ambulance corps privately funded by the British aristocracy to serve in the war.
Metz traced Conan Doyle's connection to the Angel of Mons through British Captain Malcolm Leckie, Conan Doyle's brother-in-law.
"I think (the myth) it's really fascinating," Well Read book store owner Brian Warren said. "I studied World War I in college so it's something that holds a lot of interest to me and I've read a lot about Churchill, and the historical fiction that's come out about him recently, so this will be another one that will be fun to take in."
Warren anticipates reading Metz's novel and learning more about the supposed Angel of Mons miracle.
"I've heard about the angel before but I never bothered to read about it so I'm a little curious as to how that came about and how that was perpetuated," Warren said.