The 90th anniversary of the death of Shropshire war poet Wilfred Owen was commemorated with a reading of his work today.
On November 4, 1918, Mr Owen was killed in action near the village of Ors, northern France.
But the telegram carrying news of his death arrived at his parents’ home in Shrewsbury a week later, as the Abbey bells were ringing to celebrate the signing of the Armistice.
Mr Owen was born in Oswestry in March 1893 and distinguished himself in battle, winning the Military Cross for his bravery.
But heis remembered fro his poetry’s vivid portrayal of the horrors of war.
His experiences were relived today through readings of his poems at the English Bridge Workshop in Shrewsbury, organised by Councillor Mansel Williams.
The day featured four sessions of readings by people who had volunteered to take part through the Wilfred Owen Association or by contacting the workshop.
The final session was due to end with a reading of his final letters to his mother Susan, written on October 31, 1918.
He thanked her for a parcel, describing his delight at finding chocolate inside, which he shared with another soldier on a midnight march, and told of his situation on the front.
He wrote about the other soldiers crammed into a shelter two miles from the front line and described the sounds of the shells crashing down.
Four days later, he and his group were shot down by German soldiers as they tried to cross a river.
The poetry reading was the first in a series of events planned for the next week in memory of the war poet.
Caroline Thewles, event co-ordinator for the Wilfred Owen Association, said: “This is a particularly important anniversary because it is perhaps the last major occasion we will have to commemorate the end of the First World War alongside those who actually lived through it.
“The fact that Wilfred Owen – a local lad – is probably the best-known voice of that generation, is a source of special pride to those of us in Shropshire.”
She added: “As Dylan Thomas said he is ‘a poet of all times, all places and all wars’.”
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