Ronald Symond
Encyclopedia
Ronald Tudor Symond was born in Liverpool
, England in December, 1895, the son of a solicitor Elwy Davies Symond, and died at the age of 51 of a heart attack in London
in February, 1947. He is notable for his membership of the avant-garde, modernist, literary and artistic circles of the Left Bank of Paris
in the 1930s.
for three years in Northern France, on the Western Front
, during World War I
. He attained the rank of Lieutenant
in the 6th Battalion of the Liverpool Regiment, and was awarded the Military Cross
in April 1918.
"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."
At that time 'a bombing attack' meant an attack using hand grenade
s
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.
Ronald 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.
On 26 February 1940 Ronald Symond enlisted again (in World War II
). He was transferred to the Intelligence Corps on 15 July 1940 and attained the rank of Captain. He served until 1945. The Intelligence Corps was formally reconstructed in July 1940, having been disbanded after World War I.
writers living in Paris
in that period. He was therefore a member of the Lost Generation
. He was active in literary criticism and published in the Parisian literary journal 'transition
', which was edited by Eugene Jolas
, who regarded Symond as one of his friends, together with Stuart Gilbert
. Between them they organised an International Workshop on Orphic Creation.
In March 1932 he published his translation of Mr. James Joyce et son nouveau Roman 'Work in Progress, by Louis Gillet.
Gillet
later, in 1935, became a member of the Académie Française, occupying 'Seat 13' out of the 40 seats.
Symond wrote literary critique on a Work in Progress by James Joyce
, while it was being published in transition
, and before it was published in its final form as Finnegans Wake
In April 1934 Symond published a critical review, The Third Mr. Joyce; Comments on 'Work in Progress,
He was a signatory, together with Eugene Jolas
, to a well known dadaist manifesto of expatriate writers living in Paris in the 1930s, entitled Poetry is Vertical.
and rugby
matches. He reported at least one cricket Test Match at which the Australian Don Bradman played, meeting Bradman in 1938 when he came to the Press Box. Symond's coverage of The Ashes
in 1938 was syndicated in numerous newspapers in Australia. He died of a heart attack.
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England in December, 1895, the son of a solicitor Elwy Davies Symond, and died at the age of 51 of a heart attack in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in February, 1947. He is notable for his membership of the avant-garde, modernist, literary and artistic circles of the Left Bank of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in the 1930s.
Military record
At the age of 20 Symond enlisted and served in the InfantryInfantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
for three years in Northern France, on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He attained the rank of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the 6th Battalion of the Liverpool Regiment, and was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
in April 1918.
"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."
At that time 'a bombing attack' meant an attack using hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
s
He was then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
, which became the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in August 1918, and undertook training in England, returning to France as the war was ending.
He resigned his commission in 1921.
Ronald Symond's elder brother Stuart was seconded to the Machine Gun Corps
Machine Gun Corps
The Machine Gun Corps was a corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. The Heavy Branch of the MGC was the first to use tanks in combat, and the branch was subsequently turned into the Tank...
and his younger brother John to the Tank Corps
Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
. Both brothers survived the war but John was wounded after one week at the front and served in Britain until 1921.
On 26 February 1940 Ronald Symond enlisted again (in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
). He was transferred to the Intelligence Corps on 15 July 1940 and attained the rank of Captain. He served until 1945. The Intelligence Corps was formally reconstructed in July 1940, having been disbanded after World War I.
Literary critic and translator
Ronald Symond resided in both France and England between 1919 and 1939, becoming bilingual, and was a minor figure among the expatriateExpatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
writers living in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in that period. He was therefore a member of the Lost Generation
Lost Generation
The "Lost Generation" is a term used to refer to the generation, actually a cohort, that came of age during World War I. The term was popularized by Ernest Hemingway who used it as one of two contrasting epigraphs for his novel, The Sun Also Rises. In that volume Hemingway credits the phrase to...
. He was active in literary criticism and published in the Parisian literary journal 'transition
Transition (literary journal)
transition was an experimental literary journal that featured surrealist, expressionist, and Dada art and artists. It was founded in 1927 by poet Eugene Jolas and his wife Maria McDonald and published in Paris...
', which was edited by Eugene Jolas
Eugene Jolas
John George Eugene Jolas was a writer, translator and literary critic.-Biography:Eugene Jolas was born in Union City, New Jersey, but grew up in Forbach in Elsass-Lothringen , to which his family returned when he was two years old. He spent periods of his adult life living in both the U.S...
, who regarded Symond as one of his friends, together with Stuart Gilbert
Stuart Gilbert
Stuart Gilbert was an English literary scholar and translator. Among his translations into English are works by André Malraux, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Georges Simenon, Jean Cocteau, Albert Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre...
. Between them they organised an International Workshop on Orphic Creation.
In March 1932 he published his translation of Mr. James Joyce et son nouveau Roman 'Work in Progress, by Louis Gillet.
Gillet
Louis Gillet
Louis Gillet was a French art historian and literary historian.- Works :*Raphaël, 1907*Watteau, 1921*Trois variations sur Claude Monet, 1927...
later, in 1935, became a member of the Académie Française, occupying 'Seat 13' out of the 40 seats.
Symond wrote literary critique on a Work in Progress by James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
, while it was being published in transition
Transition (literary journal)
transition was an experimental literary journal that featured surrealist, expressionist, and Dada art and artists. It was founded in 1927 by poet Eugene Jolas and his wife Maria McDonald and published in Paris...
, and before it was published in its final form as Finnegans Wake
Finnegans Wake
Finnegans Wake is a novel by Irish author James Joyce, significant for its experimental style and resulting reputation as one of the most difficult works of fiction in the English language. Written in Paris over a period of seventeen years, and published in 1939, two years before the author's...
In April 1934 Symond published a critical review, The Third Mr. Joyce; Comments on 'Work in Progress,
He was a signatory, together with Eugene Jolas
Eugene Jolas
John George Eugene Jolas was a writer, translator and literary critic.-Biography:Eugene Jolas was born in Union City, New Jersey, but grew up in Forbach in Elsass-Lothringen , to which his family returned when he was two years old. He spent periods of his adult life living in both the U.S...
, to a well known dadaist manifesto of expatriate writers living in Paris in the 1930s, entitled Poetry is Vertical.
Author
Ronald Symond wrote two books of non-fiction, during the time he spent in France.- He published The Main Chance in 1926, a work of religion and philosophy, classified under 'Altruism, Life, Love'http://www.worldcat.org/title/main-chance/oclc/15030481&referer=brief_results.
- He published Homage to Cricket in 1935 http://www.worldcat.org/title/homage-to-cricket/oclc/561161245&referer=brief_results. This was written under the nom de plume of GryllusGryllusGryllus is a genus of crickets. Members of the genus are typically 15–31 mm long and darkly coloured . Species are usually recognised by their life histories and by their song .-Species:The genus contains the following species :...
, a Latin word for the 'cricket' insect, a kind of grasshopper, as a clearly intended punPunThe pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
.
Journalist
Later Symond worked, before and after the war, until his death in 1947, as a sports correspondent for The Daily Mail, covering cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
matches. He reported at least one cricket Test Match at which the Australian Don Bradman played, meeting Bradman in 1938 when he came to the Press Box. Symond's coverage of The Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
in 1938 was syndicated in numerous newspapers in Australia. He died of a heart attack.
Sources
- Deming, Robert H., 1964, A Bibliography of James Joyce Studies, University of Kansas Publications