Siegfried's Journey, 1916-1920

by Siegfried Sassoon

Siegfried's Journey 1916-1920

Genres: Biography, Memoir, World War I, War

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1945

About the author

Siegfried Loraine Sassoon, CBE, MC was born into a wealthy banking family, the middle of 3 brothers. His Anglican mother and Jewish father separated when he was five. He had little subsequent contact with ‘Pappy’, who died of TB 4 years later. He presented his mother with his first ‘volume’ at 11. Sassoon spent his youth hunting, cricketing, reading, and writing. He was home-schooled until the age of 14 because of ill health. At school he was academically mediocre and teased for being un-athletic, unusually old, and Jewish. He attended Clare College, Cambridge, but left without taking his degree. In 1911, Sassoon read ‘The Intermediate Sex’ by Edward Carpenter, a book about homosexuality which was a revelation for Sassoon. In 1913 he wrote ‘The Daffodil Murderer,’ a parody of a John Masefield poem and his only pre-war success. A patriotic man, he enlisted on 3rd August, the day before Britain entered the war, as a trooper in the Sussex Yeomanry. After a riding accident which put him out of action, in May 1915 he joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers as a second lieutenant. At the training depot he met David Thomas, with whom he fell in love.
In November, Sassoon received word that his brother Hamo had died at Gallipoli. On 17th November he was shipped to France with David Thomas. He was assigned to C Company, First Battalion. It was here that he met Robert Graves, described in his diary as ‘a young poet in Third Battalion and very much disliked.’ He took part in working parties, but no combat. He later became transport officer and so managed to stay out of the front lines. After time on leave, on the 18th May 1916 he received word that David Thomas had died of a bullet to the throat. Both Graves and Sassoon were distraught, and in Siegfried’s case it inspired ‘the lust to kill.’ He abandoned transport duties and went out on patrols whenever possible, desperate to kill as many Germans as he could, earning him the nickname ‘Mad Jack.’ In April he was recommended for the Military Cross for his action in bringing in the dead and wounded after a raid. He received his medal on the day before the Somme. For the first days of the Somme, he was in reserve opposite Fricourt, watching the slaughter from a ridge. Fricourt was successfully taken, and on the 4th July the First Battalion moved up to the front line to attack Mametz Wood. It was here that he famously took a trench single handed. Unfortunately, Siegfried did nothing to consolidate the trench; he simply sat down and read a book, later returning to a berating from Graves. It was in 1917, convalescing in 'Blighty' from a wound, that he decided to make a stand against the war. Encouraged by pacifist friends, he ignored his orders to return to duty and issued a declaration against the war. The army refused to court martial him, sending him instead to Craiglockhart, an institution for soldiers driven mad by the war. Here he met and influenced Wilfred Owen. In 1918 he briefly returned to active service, in Palestine and then France again, but after being wounded by friendly fire he ended the war convalescing. He reached the rank of captain. After the war he made a predictably unhappy marriage and had a son, George. He continued to write, but is best remembered as a war poet.

Reviews

[Don · Rating 3 out of 5]

Siegfried Sassoon was one of the great poets associated with Britain's involvement in World War I (e.g., Robert Graves, Wilfred Owen, Rupert Brooke). He also wrote prose, notably the autobiographical Sherston trilogy: "Memoirs of a Fox-hunting Man," "Memoirs of an Infantry Officer," and "Sherston's Progress," published 1928-36. These novels, while ostensibly fiction, present a fairly accurate study of Sassoon's early life -- his obsession with fox hunting before the World War, his experiences as an officer in the trenches, and his recovery back in England from "shell-shock."

These three volumes are so detailed, and so well written, that we finish them with a pretty good picture of Sassoon's life into his 30's. Siegried's Journey (1945), a frank memoir rather than fiction, was apparently written for the purpse of filling in some of the missing details, and correcting some of the chronology, found in the trilogy. I found it interesting, but I think it would have a strong appeal only to those who have read the trilogy and are sufficiently fascinated by Sassoon's life to seek out additional details, or to those who have not read the trilogy and want to read a more condensed version of Sassoon's biography.

In Siegfried's Journey, Sassoon names individuals for whom he used pseudonyms in the trilogy. One of the attractive and amazing features of English life before World War II was the social interaction among highly talented individuals from politics, the arts, and the sciences. Only in England would a young poet not find it strange to interact socially, repeatedly, with the likes of Bertrand Russell, Winston Churchill, Thomas Hardy, and the Poet Laureate.

Siegfried's Journey is limited to the years 1916-20, and therefore does not duplicate the events described in "Memoirs of a Fox-hunting Man." At times, he refers the reader to the trilogy for an explanation of events that he chooses not to re-hash in Siegfried's Journey. If you're interested in Sassoon -- or his era and society -- and have the time, I suggest you read first his Sherston trilogy.

[nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

incredibly boring, wouldn't recommend it to anyone. i loved it very much<3

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book in concept, but not always in execution. This memoir by the celebrated war poet covers roughly the period from his first brutal immersion in trench warfare to his opening salvos (some effective, some not) as a postwar literary light. Along the way, we meet such figures as Thomas Hardy (a personal hero of Sassoon), the Sackville-Wests, and Lady Ottoline Morrell. We also get sidelong glances at some of Sassoon's war poet contemporaries and friends, but most of the juicy stuff is left out as Sassoon feels it has been covered in his fictionalized autobiography, the Sherston trilogy. And indeed, anyone looking for a vivid, detailed portrait of Sassoon's experience in the war should turn to those books. What Siegfried's Journey has over them is more time spent on his poetry and process, which is valuable, but overall -- especially as the book enters its last third and the war recedes into the background -- the book takes on a dull air; Sassoon seems to mention every passing interaction, every awkward lunch, etc., and yet dwells on none of them enough to make them come alive. It all ends up feeling a bit like a reluctantly written summer vacation essay. However, the first two thirds of the book are consistently engaging.

[Melanie Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me, in a languidly friendly tone, on a fascinating journey from cover to cover....Gracious what a lot of literary giants Siegfried Sassoon met in a short space of time on both sides of the Atlantic! This could have been tiresome, but the writing is impeccable. It was written by Sassoon in later years, using his own diary notes taken at the time as aid to his memories.
Most endearing is Sassoon's admiration of Thomas Hardy and his description of Hardy as wise, yet unassuming. Hardy is here presented as a literary and poetic genius, original, appreciative of the ordinary as well as of the extraordinary, and uninterested in taking part in competitive games of the literati.
Sassoon does not directly describe his war experiences here (he does that elsewhere) - this is about his experiences at home and on a tour in the United States. But the psychological effects of the First World War on himself and others is explored and his friendship with Wilfred Owen is movingly described.

[Muaz Jalil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love Sassoon! Read his Foxhunting and other 2 semi-autobiographies. Also just purchased his 3 Vol Diaries.

This is a short enjoyable autobiography covering 1916-1920. Actually covers his period in Craiglockhart Hospital ( for PTSD), where he met Wilfred Owen and Dr. Rivers. This is captured in Vol 1 of the Regeneration Trilogy by Pat Barker, which I read last year (an absolute delight).

Sassoon mentions that it was Edmund Gosse who suggested he should use his experience and write a book about Fox hunting in the country.

He is very appreciative of Galsworthy, another author I love. He visited G and found him to be like an Uncle figure.

He also talked about Hardy, another of his favourite authors. Hardy said that the world was progressing in terms of wealth and materials but no progress in terms of our knowledge about philanthropy. How very true and perceptive.

Osbert Sitwell is another interesting character. Already bought his 5 vol autobiography

Sassoon talks about Russell and Lady Ottoline Morrel. In his last few pages, Sassoon says "The idea of oblivion attracts me; I want to, after life's fitful fever, sleep well".

[Vincent Hernot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can anything beat Memoirs of a fox-hunting man?!
Well, I loved that one as much as, and more than the other 2 volumes (and certainly the third) of Sassoon's semi-fictional memoirs.
So it's another Sassoon on yet again his youth, and I just love his style, and his tone, and his voice.
He's not writing as a poet though, which is probably why I like it - hard to explain, but his voice takes me in.

[Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sassoon has a talent for rounding up chapters and novels (poetry too. The zingers come with the final two lines at the end). The way he ends his sometimes rambling pieces are exemplary of his ability as a writer of prose and verse. He writes wonderfully of his friends, both living and dead, in a way that is so warmhearted it makes one emotional.

[Christine Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

One for fans only I think. I enjoyed it! (2015)

Re reading in 2019 I still love it and marvel at the use of the English language.