Robert Graves, Siegfried and George Sassoon, Harold Munro

Glenye Cain writes: "I recently rediscovered my old college-days interest in World War I-era poetry and was intrigued by your mention of Robert Graves (actually I prefer his prose to his poetry). May I ask how you met him? I'd be interested in your impressions of him. It is perhaps worth noting, in light of your recent note about George Sassoon (who I hope will recover, and recover speedily), that I went back to my old books of World War I poetry several years ago after stumbling across his quite accurate--in my experience!--assessment of  the Campbells. His post reminded me that I had liked his father's work when I was studying British literature, and, indeed, when I went back to it I found I still do. Another favorite: Harold Munro, whose poems from the time include the achingly moving "Officers' Mess" and who, unfortunately, died rather young in 1932".

RH; About forty years ago, a Majorcan friend whom I had known at the Residencia de Estudiantes in Madrid drove me around the island. We stopped at the house of Robert Graves overlooking the sea (he died in 1985 and is now buried in the garden).   He received us most cordially and gave us tea.  We had a long conversation. Although he achieved great popular success, he iwas a serious classical scholar.  His isolation in Majorca allowed him to be extraordinarily productive; he wrote 135 books!

George Sassoon, one of the most beloved WAISers, is at home recovering, All WAISdom wishes him good health.  It was Wagner who made the name Siegfried popular, Siegfried Sassoon was Jewish, sas is Siegfried Ramler. It was only after the Nazis came to power that Wagner became suspect. As an addict of autobiography, I commend Siegfried Sassoon's Memoirs of a Fox.hunting Man and Memoirs of an Infantry Officer, as well as Robert Graves Goodbye to All That. Glenye is of Scottish ancestry, I gather that her ancestors fought against the Campbells, or was it with them?

Harold Munro is less well-known.  Was it he who founded the Poetry Bookshop, which published works by Robert Graves?  See Joy Grant, Harold Munro and the Potery Bookshop.

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