The Origin of These Verses

SOMME 1914-1918

Not in shining armour of the past
Upon some charger with a tilted lance
To fall beside the road of high romance
for some maiden's honour overcast.

Nor yet, when shrilly blown the summoning blast
Plunging upon the crest of some advance
Where all the plumes of English knighthood dance,
To win a grave upon the field at last.

Not thus to die! But in the cold half-light,
When the damp mist divides the day and night,
To stagger suddenly,stung,stupid,torn,
And while the light comes lifelessly and grey,
To lie all blooded in the common clay,
With stiffened limbs and the sad dead face drawn.

"Raya"

The poem reproduced above was found, handwritten, in the front of a battered copy of "Palgrave's Golden Treasury." The owner of the book had served in the Liverpool "Pals" in the Great War. His son discovered the poem.

Can anyone shed any light on the origin of these verses, who was "Raya"?

 

I found "Raya" ..... !! wonder what else we can find ??

A DEATH

NoT in the shining armour of the Past
Upon some charger, with a tilted lance,
To fall beside the road of high romance
:For some fair maiden's honour overcast ;
Nor yet, when shrilly blows tlle summoning blast,
Plunging upon the crest of sonle advance,
Where ail the plumes of Englisll knighthood dance,
To win a grave upon the field at last ;

Not thus to die! But in the cold half-light,
When the damp mist divides the day and night,
To stagger suddenly, stung, stupid, torn ;
And, while the light cornes lifelessly and grey,
To lie all bloodied in the common clay
With stiffened ]ilnbs and the sad dead face drawn.

I ,RAYA.

" Raya" was killed in action.

http://www.archive.org/stream/royalfusilierups00stanuoft/royalfusilierups00stanuoft_djvu.txt

"Raya," whose
gift for composing the most perfect verse and concluding it
with some delightful bathos is unrivalled, is a private in the
20th also, Raymond Walter by name.


Medal card of Walter, Raymond

Royal Fusiliers PS/5888 Private
Cheshire Regiment Second Lieutenant
Date
1914-1920

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...asp?Edoc_Id=5934888&queryType=1&resultcount=3

In Memory of
Second Lieutenant RAYMOND WALTER

10th Bn. formerly 20th Bn., Cheshire Regiment, Royal Fusiliers
who died age 25
on 15 July 1916
Son of Edward Charles King Walter and Lucy Marsden Walter, of 50, South Drive, Charltonville, Charlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester.

Remembered with honour
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL