Partial inspiration for the novel was the story of František (Frankie) Truhlář, a member of Guinea Pig Club, No. 311 Squadron RAF gunner and later No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF pilot.
Papua New Guinea | Guinea | Marylebone Cricket Club | Lancashire County Cricket Club | Sierra Club | Equatorial Guinea | club | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | Club Brugge K.V. | Somerset County Cricket Club | Sport Club Corinthians Paulista | Glamorgan County Cricket Club | Hampshire County Cricket Club | Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club | Richmond Football Club | Gloucestershire County Cricket Club | Cornwall County Cricket Club | Porky Pig | Kent County Cricket Club | Club Nacional de Football | Cambridge University Cricket Club | Guinea-Bissau | Collingwood Football Club | Yorkshire County Cricket Club | sports club | Essendon Football Club | Port Adelaide Football Club | Jockey Club | Club Atlético River Plate | Carlton Football Club |
During its tenure as a burns unit plastic surgeon Archibald McIndoe worked at the facility, along with other members of the "Guinea Pig Club".
He was evacuated to Archibald McIndoe's pioneering “Guinea Pig Club” plastic surgery unit at Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, Sussex spending much of the next three years in hospital.