Siegfried Sassoon

Date of Birth: September 8, 1886

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Date of Death: September 1, 1967

Biography

Siegfried Sassoon was an English poet, writer, and soldier, best recognized for his powerful anti-war poetry during World War I. Born into a wealthy Jewish family on September 8, 1886, in Matfield, Kent, England, Sassoon was educated at Marlborough College and Clare College, Cambridge. However, he left Cambridge without a degree and spent years living a leisurely life before the war. With the outbreak of World War I, Sassoon enlisted in the British Army and served with distinction, being awarded the Military Cross for bravery. As the war progressed, his views changed dramatically, and he began to express anti-war sentiments through his poetry, which depicted the gruesome realities of trench warfare. His works, including collections like “The Old Huntsman” and “Counter-Attack,” earned him critical acclaim. After the war, Sassoon continued to write poetry and prose, including his semi-autobiographical “Sherston Trilogy,” which detailed his wartime experiences. He was also a key figure in literary circles, interacting with other notable writers such as Wilfred Owen and Robert Graves. Siegfried Sassoon passed away on September 1, 1967, in Heytesbury, Wiltshire, England.

5 Interesting Facts about Siegfried Sassoon

1. Siegfried Sassoon was awarded the Military Cross for bravery during World War I.

2. He became friends with fellow poet Wilfred Owen, who was also a soldier.

3. Sassoon’s protest against the war led to his hospitalization for shell shock (now known as PTSD).

4. He converted to Catholicism later in his life.

5. Sassoon’s semi-autobiographical “Sherston Trilogy” is considered a classic of wartime literature.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Siegfried Sassoon

1. “Soldiers are citizens of death’s gray land, drawing no dividend from time’s to-morrows.”

2. “I am a soldier, convinced that I am acting on behalf of soldiers.”

3. “In me the tiger sniffs the rose.”

4. “The war of words is easier than the war of bullets.”

5. “Man, it seemed, was always fighting. The world was a great arena of struggling, and happiness was a prize to be won only by the most valiant.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Siegfried Sassoon’s net worth at the peak of his career is not well-documented, but he came from a wealthy family and lived comfortably throughout his life.