How Rifleman Brown Came to Valhalla

"How Rifleman Brown Came to Valhalla" by Gilbert Frankau is a war poem written during the early 20th century, specifically in the context of World War I. This literary work serves as a poignant tribute to the unsung heroes of war, focusing on the experiences and sacrifices of ordinary soldiers. The poem explores themes of valor, camaraderie, and the recognition of bravery in the face of death, highlighting the complex emotions associated with warfare. In this narrative poem, Rifleman Joseph Brown arrives in Valhalla, a mythical place of honor for fallen warriors, unscathed and untouched by the horrors of battle. He grapples with his identity and worth among the dead who have faced grave injuries. Through a fellow soldier’s recounting of a critical moment in the trenches, Brown's brave act of warning his comrades about a gas attack earns him acceptance among the warriors of Valhalla. Ultimately, the poem articulates the deep respect and acknowledgment that should be afforded to all servicemen who risk their lives in combat, regardless of their physical scars. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Captain Gilbert Frankau was a popular British novelist. He was known also for verse, including a number of verse novels, and short stories. He was born in London into a Jewish family but was baptised as an Anglican at the age of 13. After education at Eton College, he went into the family cigar business and became managing director on his twenty-first birthday, his father, Arthur Frankau, having died in November 1904. A few months before his death, at sixty-eight, from lung cancer, he converted to Roman Catholicism.