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Biography: Early Life Born in Royal Tunbridge Wells in 1920, Keith Castellain Douglas was the son of Capt. Keith Sholto Douglas and Marie Josephine Castellain. His mother fell ill in 1924 causing his parents' marriage to later fall apart. His father did not communicate with him from 1931 to 1938, and afterwards Douglas did not wish to meet with his father. He said about this time, "I lived alone during the most fluid and formative years of my life, and during that time I lived on my imagination, which was so powerful as to persuade me that the things I imagined would come true."
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Merton College |
Education Because his mother faced economic hardship, Douglas's education was through institutions such as Christ's Hospital where education was free. During his time there, his artistic and poetic talents were recognized. He later won an exhibition at Merton College, Oxford in 1938 where he was tutored by Edmund Blunden. He sent Douglas's poetry to T.S. Elliot who found Douglas impressive. Douglas completed only one year of college because of the war and his desire to participate in it. |
Beginning of the War Douglas reported to a recruiting center only a few days after the start of the war, but was forced to wait due to the many others who did as well and did not start training until 1940. He passed through officer training school and was eventually assigned to the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Regiment, also known as the Sherwood Rangers. He was then initially posted in Cairo and Palestine, until the Second Battle of El Alamein.
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Keith Douglas in the Western Desert |
Phase Four: Operation Supercharge Objectives: Destroy enemy armored divisions and cause disintegration of army.
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The Second Battle of El Alamein Douglas was working as a camouflage officer twenty miles behind the front at the start of the battle. At dawn on October 24, 1942, his regiment advanced and suffered numerous casualties due to anti-tank guns. Bored by inactivity, he decided to proceed to the front against orders on October 27. Desperately needing officer replacements, the commanding officer, Colonel E.O. Kellett posted him to A Squadron, giving him the opportunity to participate in the 8th Army's sweep across North Africa. |
D-Day In December of 1943, he returned to England from North Africa and subsequent participated in the D-Day invasion of continental Europe on June 6th of that year. He and the Notts Yeo landed on Gold Beach. However, three days later, on June 9th, he was killed by enemy mortar fire while his regiment was advancing from Bayeux. He was buried at the Tilly-sur-Seulles war cemetery. |
He was killed while on route to Tilly-sur-Seulles from Bayeux. |
