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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Five War Poets


Fred van Woerkom

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Hello Fred

A useful source for Edward Thomas is

www.edward-thomas-fellowship.org.uk

and a selection of his poery is there.

His war poems include

'Lights Out'

'This is no case of petty right or wrong'

'No one cares less than I'

Hope that this helps.

Met vriendelijke groeten.

Michael

EDIT Should be able to receive messages now ! Feel free to try again.

Michael,

Is it true that Edward Thomas wrote few of no poems during the war at all?

I tried to PM you but I got a message that you could not receive any new message. Probably because you were also on line this afternoon?

Het allerbeste !

Fred

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Hello Fred

I am not sure whether there was time for Edward Thomas to write any poetry during his active service. A book came out recently in paperback - All Roads Lead to France - The Last Years of Edward Thomas by Matthew Hollis - this may answer your question! The author also has an interesting website that is worth a look.

Tot ziens ... Maricourt

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Well Edward Thomas came to writing poetry quite late as it were after being a journalist, writer and critic. All Roads Lead to France is superb.

A mini-documentary about Edward Thomas featuring Matthew Hollis is on You Tube. Regards , Michael Bully

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Uuq59C-C3Q

Hello Fred

I am not sure whether there was time for Edward Thomas to write any poetry during his active service. A book came out recently in paperback - All Roads Lead to France - The Last Years of Edward Thomas by Matthew Hollis - this may answer your question! The author also has an interesting website that is worth a look.

Tot ziens ... Maricourt

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Thanks, Michael for the link to Hollis' You Tube video about Edward Thomas.

Regards ... Maricourt

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Michael,

Watching the YouTube film, I kept thinking what a beautiful country England is. It is easy to understand that the landscape inspired so much of his poetry.

Great to see that the Fellowship still do his walks.

How beautful the woodcut editions look !

Met vriendelijke groet,

Fred

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I recall reading that Edward Thomas was once asked why he chose to fight against the Germans - his answer was to scoop up a handful of earth and to reply that it was for "this" - the earth that was in his hand. He loved the countryside - as seen in the excellent video that Michael found for us to watch.

Regards ... Maricourt

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Glad you like the mini-documentary from You Tube re. Edward Thomas.

There is also a play about Edward Thomas, 'The Dark Earth and the Light Sky' which was discussed on the 'Forum during the Winter.

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=186582&hl=

There is You Tube trailer on the play here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr3gJYAYbZE

Another recent thread about Edward Thomas-in which someone kindly posted a link to his (on line) war service records, is here.

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=191349&hl=

Regards /beste wensen

Michael

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Thanks again, Maricourt and Michael for the info.

We will try to find Thomas's OP, using the information in theFebruary link about the reconstruction.

Beste wensen,

Fred

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The good news is that the Dutch WFA are planning visits to Thomas's OP and grave as well as Walter Wilkinson's grave next year.

All the best,

Fred

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That's great news, Fred - and I will look out for anything of interest about Edward Thomas and Walter Wilkinson and pass it on.

It's a long way off, but let us know how you get on.

Best wishes ... Maricourt

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Hello Fred

I don't know if you can receive the digital BBC Radio 4 Extra channel in the Netherlands - if you can - from Monday 7th October - Friday - 11th October at 14.45 BST there is a broadcast of Matthew Hollis' book on Edward Thomas - All Roads Lead to France.

Regards ... Maricourt

SeaJane - Many thanks for the link above.

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Maricourt,

If that is the same as BBC Radio 4 Long Wave, I can receive it. If not I'll try to find it on the computer.

Thanks again,

Fred

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Fred - I'm afraid it is on a digital channel - but you are correct - you can receive it on the computer and on the BBC iPlayer - and the episodes will be available for a week after the date they were transmitted.

I hope you can receive it!

Best wishes ... Maricourt

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Michael,

Are there any other Edward Thomas diary entries available on the internet ?

I find the one for 23 February , 1917, most enlightening.

Best regards,

Fred

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Fred

There is this link- for some pages of Edward Thomas' war diary -starts 1st January 1917.

http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/collections/document/1693/1367

The last page is here

http://www.llgc.org.uk/blog/?attachment_id=4943

Beste wensen

Michael Bully

Michael,

Are there any other Edward Thomas diary entries available on the internet ?

I find the one for 23 February , 1917, most enlightening.

Best regards,

Fred

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Michael,

Thank you so much.

I know I'm being difficult, but are there printed versions of one or two days?

All the best,

Fred

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Hello Fred, I don't honestly don't know ! You could E mail the Edward Thomas Fellowship and ask them.. I have not heard of any of Edward Thomas' war diaries being published or part published..Beste wensen Michael Bully

Michael,

Thank you so much.

I know I'm being difficult, but are there printed versions of one or two days?

All the best,

Fred

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Edward Thomas' diaries for the first four months of 1917 were published in a limited edition in 1977. There are several copies available on ABE (at a price).

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  • 3 weeks later...

Edward Thomas' biographer Matthew Hollis will discuss 'All Roads Lead to France' on Radio 4 books club, Sunday 3rd November 2013 16.00 GMT

Worth checking BBC sites to see if appears via 'Listen Again' service.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03g8gv9

Matthew Hollis - Now All Roads Lead to France

Duration: 28 minutes First broadcast: Sunday 03 November 2013

With James Naughtie.

Matthew Hollis discusses his Costa winning biography of the poet Edward Thomas, Now All Roads Lead to France.

The book is an account of the final years of Thomas who died in action in the First World War in 1917.

Although an accomplished prose-writer and literary critic, Edward Thomas only began writing poetry in 1914, at the age of 36. Before then, Thomas had been tormented by what he regarded as the banality of his work, by his struggle with depression and by his marriage.

Inspired by his life-changing friendship with American poet Robert Frost, Thomas wrote poem after poem, and his emotional affliction began to lift.

The two friends began to formulate poetic ideas that would produce some of the most remarkable verse of the twentieth century. But the First World War put an ocean between them: Frost returned to the safety of New England, while Thomas stayed to fight.

Hollis is a poet himself and will talk about the poetic life as well as the roads taken - and those not taken - that are at the heart of the book.

EDIT to confirm time programme starts !

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Many thanks, Michael, will try to catch it on the radio on Sunday.

Best wishes ... Maricourt

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