Keith Douglas


Leído por Sean Street

In this compelling feature, Sean Street retraces the last movements of Keith Douglas, a tank commander in the Sherwood Rangers and one of the finest poets of the Second World War. Tragically, Douglas was killed by a shell-burst near the Normandy village of St Pierre just three days after D-Day.

The program includes contributions from poets JC Hall, Anne Stevenson, and Tim Kendall, along with Douglas's biographer Desmond Graham, and Stuart Hills of the Sherwood Rangers. Listeners will also hear recordings from Betty Jesse, Douglas's last girlfriend, his comrade John Bethell-Fox, and the padre who buried him.

Douglas, born on January 24, 1920, and killed on June 9, 1944, is noted for his war poetry and his unique perspective on the experiences of soldiers. His work is often described as powerful and unsettling, focusing on external impressions rather than inner emotions.


This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.