Saki - Brief Biography

Hector Hugh Munro, who has a pen name Saki, was born in Akyab on December 18, 1870 (British Burma). His father Charles Augustus Munro was an inspector general of Indian imperial police and his mother Frances Mercer was the daughter of a rear admiral, Samuel Mercer. Hector and his siblings got early education from a governess. At the age of 12, he was sent to Pencarwick in Exmouth and then to Bedford school.

He started his career as a journalist in many newspapers such as The Westminster Gazette, The Daily Express, The Morning Post. He worked in magazines like Bystander and Outlook. A historical fiction ‘The Rise of the Russian Empire’ was his first book published. He wrote a short story called ‘Dogged’,

published in St. Paul's in February 1899. A renowned political satire of his was ‘Alice in Westminster’ published in 1900. He used his pen name Saki for the first time in this satire. He wrote two great novels, The ‘Unbearable Bassington’ (1912) and ‘When William came’ (1913). He was killed by a German sniper during the battle of the Ancre. He uttered his last words "put that bloody cigarette out".