POET’S REVELATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 19 November 1929, Page 3

POET’S REVELATIONS

I “ GOOD-BYE TO ALL 1 ”

[United Press Association.—By Electric , ‘ Telegraph.—Copyright.]

LONDON, November 17. M.r Robert Graves, the well known poet, has published a war book, entitled “ God-bye to All.” The book is likely to arouse a controversy akin to that created by the book “ All Quiet on the Western Front.” In stark, grim realism, many of the anecdotes which Mr Graves records are not quotable in a newspaper. In emphasising the war’s horrors, lie shows the horrible physical and mental deterioration of the men ofe nllk, ranks, and also that of many unfortunate officers, who, after two or more years’ continuous trench service, became dipsomaniacs. Mr Robert Graves says that lie knew three or four officers. who worked up to two bottles 'of whisky a day before they were lucky enough to get wounded. The first and last bodies whom Mr Graves saw in France were those of men who preferred suicide to continuing the fight. There is a grim story of one officer who mistook some dead men for cowards, He whistled for. a platoon to advance. Nobody appeared to heed him. “You cowards! Are yon going to leave me alone? ” cried the officer. A wounded sergeant cried out. “No cowards, sir. They are willing enough, but they are all dead.”