Robert Ernest Vernède (1875 – 9 April 1917)[1] was an English poet and writer, now remembered as awar poet.
He was born in London, and educated atSt Paul's School (where he was a friend ofG. K. Chesterton andE. C. Bentley), and atSt John's College, Oxford. After graduating, he wrote novels and short stories.
He enlisted with theBritish Army as asecond lieutenant in the 3rd Batt.Rifle Brigade in 1914, at the start ofWorld War I, although over the maximum age of service. He served in France, where he was wounded in 1916 in theBattle of the Somme. He was received atSomerville Hospital inOxford. He returned to the front, but died after being wounded by machine gun fire while leading an advance atHavrincourt. He was buried at Le Bucquiere Communal Cemetery Extension.[2]
Chesterton wrote an appreciation of Vernède for the school magazine, describing his death as "so heavy a loss for those of us who loved him" and called it "an addition or completion to that shining company of poets whose patriotism turned them into soldiers, and gave them a life and death more worthy of legend".[3]
HisWar Poems, And Other Verses was published in 1917 by William Heinemann.
