Ronald Symond
Ronald Tudor Symond MC | |
---|---|
Born | Liverpool, England | 31 December 1895
Died | 7 January 1947 London, England | (aged 51)
Nationality | British |
Occupation(s) | Soldier, author, journalist |
Employer | Daily Mail |
Notable work | The Main Chance, Homage to Cricket |
Ronald Tudor Symond
Early life
Symond spent his youth in Sefton Park, Liverpool, and attended Liverpool College, where he was captain of the First Eleven cricket team in July 1913. "Has made a popular and energetic captain. A really good bat, with splendid style, and plenty of scoring strokes. Has bowled well on occasions, and is a brilliant fielder in any position. Should lead the College to great victories next season"[1] This laid the foundation for a lifelong interest in cricket.
Military record
At the age of 19, in 1915, Symond enlisted and served in the
- "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He led a bombing attack with the utmost determination, and after a fight lasting for four hours, ejected the enemy from the trenches. He showed great courage and determination."[2]
At that time 'a bombing attack' meant an attack using
He was then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, which became the Royal Air Force in August 1918, and undertook training in England, returning to France as the war was ending. He resigned his commission in 1921.[3]
Symond's elder brother Stuart was seconded to the Machine Gun Corps and his younger brother John to the Tank Corps. Both brothers survived the war but John was wounded after one week at the front and served in Britain until 1921.[4]
On 26 February 1940 Ronald Symond enlisted again (in World War II). He was transferred to the
Literary critic and translator
Ronald Symond resided in both France and England between 1919 and 1939, becoming
In March 1932 Symond published his translation[9] of Mr. James Joyce et son nouveau Roman 'Work in Progress', by Louis Gillet.[10] Later, in 1935, Gillet became a member of the Académie française, occupying 'Seat 13' out of the 40 seats.
Symond wrote a literary critique on Work in Progress by
He was a signatory, together with Eugene Jolas, to a manifesto of expatriate writers living in Paris in the 1930s, entitled Poetry is Vertical.
Non-fiction books
Ronald Symond wrote two books of non-fiction, during the inter-war years:
- He published The Main Chance in 1926, a work of religion and philosophy, classified under 'Altruism, Life, Love'[1].
- He published Homage to Cricket in 1935 [2]. This was written under the pen name of Gryllus, a Latin word for the 'cricket' insect, a kind of grasshopper, as a clearly intended pun.
Sports journalism
Before and after World War II, until his death in 1947, Symond worked as a sports correspondent for He died of a heart attack at the age of 51.
Sources
- Deming, Robert H., 1964, A Bibliography of James Joyce Studies, University of Kansas Publications
References
- ^ Liverpool College Magazine, No. 66, July 1913, p9
- ^ The London Gazette, Special Supplement, 16 September 1918, p 11023
- ^ The London Gazette (1915–1921)
- ^ The London Gazette (1915–1922)
- ^ The London Gazette, Issue 34988, 8 November 1940, pp 6484–6485
- ^ The London Gazette (1940–1945)
- ^ transition, no. 21 (March 1932)
- ^ transition, no. 21
- ^ transition, no. 21, 263–272
- ^ Revue des Deux Mondes, LXXXIV, (August 1931), 928–939
- ^ London Mercury, XXIX (February 1934), 318–321
- ^ Reprinted in Living Edge, CCCXLVI (April 1934), 160–164.
- ^ "CRICKET". The Northern Miner. Charters Towers, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 7 June 1938. p. 4. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
- ^ "WYATT UNLIKELY TO PLAY IN TESTS". Western Argus. Kalgoorlie, WA: National Library of Australia. 7 June 1938. p. 11. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
- ^ "Wicket Free From Dope". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 8 July 1938. p. 14. Retrieved 27 December 2013.