With thanks to AC Benus for finding the poems of Fabian Strachan Woodley for us
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| Fabian at school |
Fabian's paternal grandfather was William Augustus Woodley (1817-1891), owner of the Somerset County Gazette from 1843 and his great-grandfather, the Rev. George Woodley (bap. 1786, d. 1846), was also a poet.
Educated at Cheltenham College from 1903–1907, where he was in Southwood House and was a member of the Clifton Rugby Club, Fabian went on to study for a BA at University College, Oxford, qualifying in 1911. At Oxford, Fabian was captain of his college rugby team.
After university, Fabian went to work for the “Bristol Times and Mirror” newspaper, before going to live and work in London. In September 1914, he was commissioned as a Temporary Lieutenant and joined the 8th Service Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers. In September 1915, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and served as an Acting Captain on several occasions while in command of Companies.
Fabian was awarded three Divisional Parchment Certificates for gallantry in action and was awarded the Military Cross (MC) in October 1916: ‘For conspicuous gallantry during operations. By his skill and determination he beat off three counter-attacks of the enemy, who were endeavouring to reach his trench. Four days later he led his men in two attacks with great pluck’. When recommending him for a permanent commission in August, 1918, his Commanding Officer wrote: "This officer has served continuously in France for a period of two years and 8 months, and has commanded a Company both in and out of the line, for 2½ years”. The “Gloucestershire Echo” of Wednesday, 22 May 1918 reported that Fabian Strachan Woodley had been wounded.
After the war, Fabian studied for a Diploma in Journalism before working with his father on the staff of the “Somerset County Gazette”. He went on to teach English at several schools, including Wrekin and served with the Officers Training Corps (OTC). He taught for many years at the Peter Symonds School in Winchester.
On the 1939 Census, Fabian was living in Winchester and described himself as a Secondary School Teacher. He died on 8th August 1957.
Fabian’s WW1 poetry collection was entitled “A Crown of Friendship, and other poems” and was published by Woodley, Williams & Dunsford, Taunton, in 1921.
Catherine W. Reilly - “English Poetry of the First World War: A Bibliography” (St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1978), p. 342
"Aftermath" by Fabian Strachan Woodley
God! this is Death in Life – to wake at morn
Heart-sick with memories; till the sun set
To watch the long day wane, with soul forlorn
For ever striving to forget – forget!
Gone is the old content; from field and flower
The glory fled; Pleasure turned Bitterness;
Desire grown dim ere ever the longed-for hour
Might in oblivion steep the heart’s distress.
Could I but hear once more the bugle sound,
Into belovèd eyes look once again,
Clasp the strong hands of fighting men – my men,
In one united comradeship firm bound –
From the dead ashes of My Self would soar
A Phoenix-soul in love with Life once more!
You can read more of Fabian’s poems on AC Benus’s fantastic website
https://gayauthors.org/story/ac-benus/the-great-mirror-of-same-sex-love-poetry/55
Sources: Catherine Reilly, Find my Past, Free BMD and Wikipedia
