Record Number: 32931

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

‘Well … our gallant regiment … have been in it a damn sight more than ever they expected, by the Lord. We are hardened veterans, fed up to the neck, muddy to the eyes, for the weather is execrable. And like Justice Shallow we have had our losses. Two of the nicest chaps in the whole crowd killed. And of our very best Lieutenants more gone than I like. So it goes with us … Have you seen "Child Lovers", W. H. D.’s new book? It has some good stuff in it—but he would do well to shut up shop … Mrs Abercrombie has sent me [Lascelle Abercrombie’s] "Deborah", which I like immensely, except the "Gabriel Hounds", which are poor tykes not worthy of poetic license. And the blank verse, also very fine, is hardly often enough simple. It is too skilled, too educated … But how good the storm is! And the marsh! And Barnaby! … One thing that runs continually in my head out here is L. Binyon’s “To the Fallen” which delights me ever more and more. Did you see Bridges’ Sonnett on Kitcher? That was fine too … I would not believe the news at first—it sounded so like the obvious rumour. Oh, but it’s raining like the blazes!’

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 14 Jun 1916 and 22 Jun 1916

Country:

France

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Laventie
county: Pas-de-Calais
other location: billets

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Ivor Bertie Gurney

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

28 Aug 1890

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Private, Gloucestershire Regiment

Religion:

Christian (Anglican)

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

France

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Robert Bridges

Title:

[Sonnet on Lord Kitchener]

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Newspaper

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

32931

Source:

Print

Author:

Ivor Gurney

Editor:

R. K. R. Thornton

Title:

Ivor Gurney: Collected Letters

Place of Publication:

Manchester

Date of Publication:

1991

Vol:

n/a

Page:

106-7

Additional Comments:

Letter to J. W. Haines 22 June 1916, from billets at Laventie

Citation:

Ivor Gurney, R. K. R. Thornton (ed.), Ivor Gurney: Collected Letters, (Manchester, 1991), p. 106-7, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=32931, accessed: 22 November 2024

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Additional Comments:

None