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| Osbert Sitwell |
Osbert Sitwell was born on 6th December 1892 at 3 Arlington Street, St James's, London. His parents were Sir George Reresby Sitwell, fourth Baronet, a genealogist and antiquarian, and his wife Lady Ida Emily Augusta (née Denison).
Osbert grew up in the family seat at Renishaw Hall, Derbyshire, and at family mansions in the region of Scarborough, and was educated at Ludgrove School, then Eton College from 1906 to 1909.
In 1911 he joined the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry but, not cut out to be a cavalry officer, transferred to the Grenadier Guards at the Tower of London from where, in his off-duty time, he could frequent theatres and art galleries.
In 1914 Sitwell's civilised life was exchanged for the trenches of France near Ypres in Belgium. It was here that he wrote his first poetry, describing it as "Some instinct, and a combination of feelings not hitherto experienced united to drive me to paper". "Babel" was published in The Times on 11 May 1916. In the same year, he began literary collaborations and anthologies with his brother and sister, the trio being usually referred to simply as the Sitwells.
In 1918 Sitwell left the Army with the rank of Captain, and contested the 1918 general election as the Liberal Party candidate for Scarborough and Whitby, finishing second.
After his father died, in 1943, Osbert succeeded to the baronetcy.
Osbert was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1956 and a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) in 1958. He died on 4th May 1969
Sources: Wikipedia, Find my Past,
You can find examples of Osbert Sitwell's war poetry here:
https://krex.k-state.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/4172151d-51fe-49d3-85db-29637d25c9f8/content
