Who was Wilfred Owen? | History for Year 6 PDF Download

Wilfred Owen: Poetic Voice of War’s Tragedy

Wilfred Owen, a gifted poet, captured the grim realities of World War I through his experiences as a British Army soldier. Passionate about writing from a young age, he worked as an English teacher in France before the war’s devastating impact prompted him to enlist. In 1917, an explosion injured him and killed a close friend, leading to shell shock and recovery in Scotland. There, he penned powerful poems exposing war’s horrors, initially deemed unpatriotic. Over time, his work was recognized for its poignant reflection on the sorrow and loss of war. Tragically, Owen returned to the front in France and was killed just one week before the war’s end.

Wilfred Owen

• A lover of the English language, Wilfred Owen began crafting poems at 17. When World War One erupted, he was teaching in France.
• At a nearby hospital, he observed the plight of wounded soldiers and wrote poems reflecting their suffering. Moved by their pain and opposed to the war’s toll, he returned to England to join the army.
• In 1917, while fighting in France, Owen survived a shell explosion that claimed his best friend’s life, leaving him deeply shaken. He developed shell shock, a condition caused by the intense fear, noise, and dangers of war, which altered soldiers’ behavior.
• Sent to a hospital in Edinburgh for treatment, Owen met fellow poet Siegfried Sassoon. Together, they believed in revealing the true horrors of war to the public, highlighting the severe toll on soldiers.
• In 1918, Owen returned to the French front and earned the Military Cross for his courage. Tragically, he was killed in battle mere days before the war ended.
• Initially, Owen’s wartime poetry was criticized as unpatriotic. In time, however, its popularity grew as people came to appreciate its depiction of war’s tragedy and the lives lost. His work was celebrated for its empathy toward fellow soldiers and its vivid portrayal of their hardships.

Wilfred Owen wrote many famous poems, including 'Anthem for Doomed Youth' and 'Dulce et Decorum est'