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Journal, 17 Nov. 1915-13 Mar. 1916

 File
Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS Add.9852/1/4

Scope and Contents

The volume is a ruled notebook and mainly comprises diary entries.

Significant entries include: /5r. descriptions of the journey to France and to base camp at Etaples; /5v. the march to Festubert; Robert Graves /6r and his poetry /7r; / 7r-8r. the march to Bourecq, with descriptions of his fellow soldiers; /8r. his wish for 'a genuine taste of the horrors'; descriptions of Bourecq /9r, Montagne /9v and the Somme Valley /13v; /17v. a brigade field day between Lincheux and Fricourt; /21r. his appointment as Transport Officer; /21v. a visit to Amiens; /23v. the march to Morlancourt; /27v. his battalion at the Front Line near Fricourt; /28r. notice of leave taken in England; /36r. impressions on leaving Southampton.

The volume also includes:

- notes from military briefing meetings: /29r-31v.

- drafts of poetry: /13r. 'A Child's Faith', later called 'A Poet's Faith' or 'Simpleton'; /13v. 'A Man's Faith', later called 'Brothers'; /14v. 'The Prince of Peace', later called 'The Prince of Wounds'; /15v. 'Testament'; /17v. 'To Victory'; /19v. 'Druids'; /20r. 'January'; /20v. 'Glory: 1916'; /25r 'In the Pink'; /25v. 'Love' and 'The Rainbow'; /26r. 'The Silver Stems'; and 'Falling Asleep'; /26v-27r. 'Pastoral'.

- a sketch of a man leaning on a table, largely erased: /3r.

- lists of members of his ?battalion: /38r.

- quotations: /4v. Walter de la Mare's 'Music' and Gordon Bottomley's 'Remorse' and 'Youth'; poems by Robert Graves: /32r. 'Willaree'; /32v. 'The Morning before the Battle'; /33r. 'On Finding myself a Soldier'; /33v. 'Ghost Music'; /34r. 'In the Wilderness'; and /34v. 'The Face of the Heavens'.

- acquaintances' contact details: /1v-4r; /39v-40r.

N.B. Sassoon wrote from both ends of this notebook; from ff. /32r-40v entries resume from the opposite end. Enclosures are to be found in a separate envelope. The foliation is the archivist's.

Dates

  • 17 Nov. 1915-13 Mar. 1916

Conditions Governing Access

This notebook and its enclosures have been digitised and can be viewed in full on the Cambridge Digital Library at http://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/MS-ADD-09852-00001-00004/1. The original items are currently unavailable for consultation due to their poor physical condition.

Extent

1 volume(s) (1 volume (small 16mo, maroon morocco, front pocket, 40 ff.); 1 envelope paper) : paper

1 envelope(s) (1 volume (small 16mo, maroon morocco, front pocket, 40 ff.); 1 envelope paper)

Language of Materials

English