Saki (18 December, 1870 – 14 November, 1916) was an English writer known for making fun of Edwardian society, as well as his macabre and roguish stories.
- Born as Hector Hugh Munro in British Burma, he was the son of the Inspector General for the Indian Imperial Police. His mother, Mary, was the daughter of Rear Admiral Samuel Mercer.
- Mary Mercer passed away when her son was eight years old. She was visiting England and attacked by a cow. Mary miscarried, and never fully recovered.
- After his wife’s death, Mr. Munro sent his kids to be educated in England under the supervision of their grandmother and aunts. The atmosphere was very strict, and the two aunts might have been models for characters in his stories.
- Mr. Munro retired in 1887 and traveled in Europe with his sons.
- The future writer decided that, he too, would like to join the Indian Imperial Police. Bouts of fever, however, put an end to that career in about 15 months. He returned to London to make his living as a writer.
- He started his career writing for newspapers like the Daily Express and The Morning Post. Around 1900 he started writing political satire under the nom de plume “Saki”. The stories were illustrated by famous political cartoonist Francis Carruthers Gould.
- Along with many articles and short stories, for which he is known for, he also wrote two novels.
- At the start of World War I Mr. Munro was 43, too old to enlist. He refused a commission and signed up as an ordinary trooper in the 2nd King Edward’s Horse, later transferring to the 22nd Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers where he rose to the rank of lance sergeant.
- The writer was known to return to the battlefield even if he was injured or sick.
- At the Battle of Ancre Mr. Munro was killed in a shell crater in France from the bullet of a German Sniper.
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