Wilfred Edwars Salter Owen was born on 18th march 1893, and died on 4th november 1918. He was a very well-known poet in England, sometimes considered as the greatest poet of the First World War. His poems are realistic and describe the brutality of war, the suffering of fighters… He denounces the horror of gas, of trench warfare. His view is not shared by his contemporaries at the time, which are rather patriotic, and incense the war. His most famous poems are Dulce Decorum Est, and Anthem for doomed youth (object of study). Owen’s poetry was strongly influenced by Sigfried Sassoon.

Eldest of four children, Owen was born at Plas Wilmot, near Oswestry in Shropshire. In 1897, the Owen family is forced to move to Birkenhead (Owen then four years old). He was educated at Birkenhead Institute, and then after at Shrewsbury Technical School. He discovered his vocation to the years 1903-1904 (10-11 years old).

Subsequently, Owen is influenced by John Keats, and religious writings such as the Bible. In 1911, Owen returned to the University of London.

 On October 21, 1915, he enlisted in the regiment of the Artists' Rifles. It follows a seven-month training camp at Hare Hall in Essex. In January 1917, he received the rank of second lieutenant in the Manchester Regiment.

He was diagnosed a little later a shell shock (concussion syndrome). he was sent for treatment at the military hospital at Craiglockhart in Edinburgh. There he met the poet Sassoon. He wrote particularly during his period of convalescence Anthem for doomed youth.

Back to the front, Owen takes on 1 October 1918 the Second Manchesters units to attack enemy positions near the village of Joncourt. He was killed Nov. 4, 1918 at the grand final offensive to Ors near Le Cateau, a week before the signing of the armistice.

Wilfred Owen rests with all his comrades in arms of the Second Manchesters and Lieutenant Colonel of the Irish Guards James N. Marshall holds the Victoria Cross in the cemetery Ors.

 He posthumously received the Military Cross for his courage and leadership at Joncourt.


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