Talk:Finished with the War: A Soldier’s Declaration

I'm studying this for my Higher (like A-level) lit course, and am a little stuck about its significance. Any one help? Thank You, Rebecca x —unsigned comment by 12:43, 25 March 2007 (talk) 212.159.103.176.

You need to read up on the author (Sassoon) in order to put this declaration in perspective. If you have time, I suggest you read w:Regeneration Trilogy. John Vandenberg 02:58, 27 March 2007 (UTC)

Proofreading this I notice that there is debate about insecurities/insincerities - do we have a photograph of the original statement? Sherurcij ^{(talk) (λεμα σαβαχθανει)} 07:59, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

PD license

Would being read aloud in the house of commons suffice for {{PD-UKGov}} ? John Vandenberg 23:10, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

It seems to still be foggy whether he wrote it to be read out for the HoC, or if he wrote it and an MP asked to read it out - it would be great if we could even find out which MP it was. It bothers me that information gets lost to the point it can never be known. I wouldn't mind skimming some biographies and seeing if we can't find the answer - I'll check at the w:Robarts Library and w:Toronto Reference Library this September, hopefully find the answer before this is off the front page ;) Sherurcij ^{Collaboration of the Week: Portal:Ancient Egypt} 00:12, 29 August 2007 (UTC)

It was Hastings Lees-Smith. --92.43.64.66 14:35, 12 December 2011 (UTC)

background

{{editprotected}} Reliable sources exist to support stating in the notes that it was printed in The Times on July 31, 1917 (the day after it was read at the HoC). John Vandenberg 14:56, 18 September 2007 (UTC)

A bit more digging and assistance from w:Wikipedia:Reference desk/Humanities#A soldier's declaration indicates This statement was made to his commanding officer by Second-Lieutenant ..., and it was printed in w:Bradford Pioneer on July 27, 1917.[1][2] John Vandenberg 05:01, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

this has more details:

He drew up a statement with the help of H. W. Massingham, editor of The Nation, John Middleton Murray, the writer and critic, and Bertrand Russell, the philosopher. The statement was dated 15th. June, 1917. Siegfried Sassoon and Bertrand Russell took the statement to show the Member of Parliament for Northampton, H. Lee-Smith. Siegfried Sassoon sent the statement to his battalion in July 1917 with a covering letter refusing to perform any further military duties. ... He travelled north on 23rd. July, 1917.

So far the timeline looks like:

• June 15: written collaboratively to stir up debate

• July ??: Sent to military supervisor with a covering letter

• July 23: Sassoon travelled north
• July 27: Printed in w:Bradford Pioneer
• July 30: Read a HoC, maybe by H. Lee-Smith
• July 31: Printed in The Times

John Vandenberg 05:20, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

Typo

I can't fix this since it's locked, but there's an extra "have" in "which they have not have enough". It should just be "which they have not enough"

Fixed, thanks Sherurcij ^{Collaboration of the Week: Author:Charles Spurgeon} 20:01, 18 August 2008 (UTC)