Wiltshire Poets of World War 1
Thursday, 20 April, 2006

The poetry of two former Marlborough College students is the focus of a new exhibition at Wiltshire Heritage Museum, opening on 28 April 2006. The works of Siegfried Sassoon and Charles Hamilton Sorley, both of whom were educated at Marlborough College and later fought in the trenches of World War I, are explored and the effects of the war on their poetry revealed.

Siegfried Sassoon (1884 –1966) described his stay at Marlborough College (from 1900-1904) as ‘moderately pleasant, mentally unprofitable’. At the outbreak of World War I he enlisted and embarked for France in November 1915. The war gave him a genuine subject for his poetry and a passion to turn that subject into memorable verse. His initial belief that the war was necessary changed following the carnage of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. This is reflected in his poetry style which changes from being subjective and lyrical to objective and dramatic, writing to a friend “I loathe the sacrificial imbecility of war … 1 could never have believed that things could be so meaningless and contemptible”. Sassoon was invalided out of the army suffering from shell shock and for the rest of his life he had nightmares of trench fighting. In later life, he lived at Heytesbury House in Wiltshire.

Following his time at Marlborough College Charles Hamilton Sorley (1895-1915) spent time in Germany and his deep respect and affection for the Germans led to a conflict of interest. He was amazed at the hysterical patriotism displayed by his countrymen, writing in his letters “war in England only means putting all men of military age into a state of routinal coma, preparatory to getting them killed”. However, he enlisted in the Sussex Regiment in 1914 and soon found himself in the trenches. Sorley was one of the first war poets to see through the romantic myth of warfare and recognise its horrors, his poems revealing the contrast between the continuity of nature and the abrupt cutting off of young men in their prime. In October 1915 he was shot in the head by a sniper and his finest poem ‘When you see millions of the mouthless dead’ was found scribbled in pencil on a piece of paper in his kit bag. It portrays the horrifying physical details he must have encountered in the last weeks of his life. He died aged only 20 on 13 October 1915.

Lorna Haycock, who is assisting with the preparation of the exhibition, commented that “the slaughter of World War I had a profound effect on a generation, killing thousands of young men in their prime and generating anger about the handling of the war. This is still a thought provoking subject, which perhaps resonates with disillusion in our own day over the futility of war and the wastage of young lives”.

This exhibition, which will display a selection of contemporary and recently published books as well as objects from World War I, will open in the Museum’s temporary exhibition gallery on 28 April and run until 28 August 2006.


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Notes to Editors:

1. For further information please contact the Curator, Dr Paul Robinson, or Lorna Haycock, Sandell Librarian & Archivist, on 01380 727369.
2. The Wiltshire Heritage Museum is ‘Designated’ by the Government as holding a nationally significant collection. The archaeological collection contains important Bronze Age finds; the core of the displays being items excavated in the early 19th century by the antiquarians Sir Richard Colt Hoare and William Cunnington. The Museum also has important collections from the Roman, Saxon, medieval and recent history periods, a natural history collection, an extensive art collection and Library; the last contains unique archaeological records and extensive information and source material on the history of Wiltshire.
3. The Museum and Library are mainly funded from private sources, although annual grants are received from Wiltshire County Council and Kennet District Council.
4. The Wiltshire Heritage Museum is owned by a registered charity, the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society (WANHS).
5. Founded in 1853, WANHS has dedicated itself to preserving the rich archaeological and historical treasures and records of Wiltshire, including the World Heritage Site of Avebury and Stonehenge.
6. The objects of WANHS are ‘to educate the public by promoting, fostering interest in, exploration, research and publication on the archaeology, art, history and natural history of Wiltshire for the public benefit’. To achieve this WANHS, apart from maintaining the Museum, Library and Art Gallery, mounts exhibitions; publishes an annual magazine, newsletters, reports, periodicals, books and other literature relevant to its activities; provides lectures and visits on topics and places of interest and operates an archaeological field group which encourages members to become actively involved in the archaeology of the county. There is also an education programme for children encouraging an appreciation of the county and it’s history.
7. For further information about membership of WANHS, its Designated Collections, activities, publications and for Museum and Library opening times, please visit our website, www.wiltshireheritage.org.uk


Wiltshire Heritage Museum, 41 Long Street, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 1NS
Tel: 01380 727369 e-mail: wanhs@wiltshireheritage.org.uk
www.wiltshireheritage.org.uk

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