Owen Arrives on the Western Front in France
Poet involved
What happened
In January 1917, Owen is deployed to the Western Front as a reinforcement officer with the 2nd Manchester Regiment. He experiences frontline combat in the Somme sector, including the Battle of Serre, where he commands 'A' Company.
Literary impact
Owen's first direct experience of trench warfare shattered his remaining romantic illusions about war and provided the visceral imagery that would define his most powerful poems. The cold, mud, gas, and continuous shelling forced him to develop a new poetic language capable of conveying the sensory and moral horror of modern combat.
Source: Wikipedia
