Enlistment
When war was declared in August 1914, Graves enlisted immediately, despite having secured an exhibition to St John’s College, Oxford. This meant that he went straight from school into the Royal Welch Fusiliers. In Goodbye to All That he records his respect for the history of the regiment and its superb discipline, as well as his discomfort at having secured a commission despite his lack of military experience. He served in France from 1915 – he was made a captain in October that year – to 1917.
