W . N . Hodgson William Noel Hodgson MC ( 3 January 1893 - 1 July 1916 ) was an English poet of the First World War . During the war , he published stories and poems under the pen name Edward Melbourne . Life . Hodgson was the fourth and youngest child of Henry Bernard Hodgson , the Bishop of Saint Edmundsbury and Ipswich . He entered into " The School House " of Durham School in September 1905 on a King ' s Scholarship . He steered in the second crew in 1907 ; was in the XI , 1910 , 1911 ; and in the XV , 1910 . He won the Steeplechase in 1909 and 1911 . He left Durham in July 1911 , with Gallipoli war poet and friend Nowell Oxland , for Oxford University where he was an exhibitioner of Christ Church . He obtained a first class degree in Classical Moderations in March 1913 and decided to stay and do Greats . Known as " Smiler " to his friends , he volunteered for the British Army on the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 and served in the 9th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment . For the first year of the War he was training in England , before landing at Le Havre on 28 July 1915 and being sent to trenches near Festubert . His first major offensive came on 25 September during the Battle of Loos . He was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Military Cross for holding a captured trench for 36 hours without reinforcements or supplies during the battle and he was subsequently promoted to lieutenant . Having returned to England after the Battle of Loos , he was positioned with his Battalion in the front line trenches at Fricourt in February 1916 , before moving a kilometre or so to the trenches opposite the town of Mametz in April . The trench was named Mansell Copse , as it was in a group of trees . He was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme when attacking German trenches near Mametz . He was bombing officer for his battalion during the attack , and was killed by a machine gun positioned at a shrine whilst taking grenades to the men in the newly captured trenches . The bullet went through his neck , killing him instantly . His servant was found next to him after the offensive had ended . He is buried in Devonshire Cemetery in Mansell Copse . Writings . Although he had been writing poetry since at least 1913 , he started publishing stories and poems in periodicals at the beginning of 1916 , under the pen name Edward Melbourne . Hodgson ' s posthumous volume " Verse and Prose in Peace and War " ' , published in London by Murray in 1917 , ran into three editions . He is probably best remembered today for his poem ' Before Action ' , which was published two days before he died . It is a commonly held belief that the poem was written with the premonition of his death , from his knowledge of the German machine gun positions ; the last line is " Help me to die , O Lord " . " Before Action " . " By all the glories of the day And the cool evening ' s benison By that last sunset touch that lay Upon the hills when day was done , By beauty lavishly outpoured And blessings carelessly received , By all the days that I have lived Make me a soldier , Lord . By all of all man ' s hopes and fears And all the wonders poets sing , The laughter of unclouded years , And every sad and lovely thing ; By the romantic ages stored With high endeavour that was his , By all his mad catastrophes Make me a man , O Lord . I , that on my familiar hill Saw with uncomprehending eyes A hundred of thy sunsets spill Their fresh and sanguine sacrifice , Ere the sun swings his noonday sword Must say good - bye to all of this ; - By all delights that I shall miss , Help me to die , O Lord . Books about W . N . Hodgson . Climb Black Sail for Me - http : / / www . w - n - hodgson . info /