LEWIS, ALUN (1915-1944), poet;
b. 1 July 1915 at Aberdare, Glam., s. of Thomas John Lewis, schoolmaster, and Gwladys Elizabeth (née Evans). He was educated at Glynhafod elementary school, 1920-26, Cowbridge Grammar School, 1926-32, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth (B.A. with honours in History) 1932-35, Manchester University (M.A. with research in medieval history), 1935-37, and Aberystwyth again, 1937-38. He taught for a time at Lewis' School, Pengam, but without waiting to be called up joined the Army in May 1940. He had begun to contribute to literary journals in 1938, and in 1940-41 was a mover in the ‘Caseg Broadsheets’ venture. On 5 July 1941 he married Gweno Ellis of Aberystwyth. This same year appeared his first volume of poems, Raiders’ Dawn, and in 1942 a volume of short stories, The Last Inspection. He was commissioned in October 1941, and a year later proceeded to India. On 5 March 1944, a lieutenant with the 6th Batt. South Wales Borderers, he died on active service on the Arakan front. A second volume of poems, Ha, ha! Among the Trumpets, was published posthumously in 1945; a selection of his letters to his parents and wife, Letters from India was published in 1946; and the uncollected short stories together with a reprint of the Letters in In the Green Tree in 1948. There was no issue of his marriage.
Bibliography:
- In the Green Tree (preface by A. L. Rowse, Postscript by Gwyn Jones);
- [Alun John, Alun Lewis (1970);
- John Pikoulis, Alun Lewis, a life (1983);
- Gwenno Lewis, ed. Alun Lewis, letters to my wife (1989);
- Ulrich Schäfer, Alun Lewis, a bibliography (1986);
- the Collected Poems appeared in 1994].
Author:
Professor Gwyn Jones, M.A., (1907-99), Aberystwyth / Cardiff
