Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Three Sons
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Three Sons is an article written by C. K. S. (Clement King Shorter, the founder/editor of The Sphere) published in The Sphere on 2 september 1916.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Three Sons
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Three Sons
Lieutenant Kingsley Conan Doyle, 1st Hants, who was wounded on July 1, and his brothers, Denis and Adrian.
London, August 28, 1916.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is good enough to send me the accompanying portrait of his three sons, the eldest of whom has been wounded in the war. Well-nigh simultaneously I have been interested in reading a little sixpenny book by Sir Arthur published by Hodder and Stoughton — A Visit to Three Fronts. No doubt Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will write a great history of the war when it is over which will have even ten times the success of his famous book, The Great Boer War.
Meantime Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's experience on the British, the French, and the Italian fronts will assist him materially in such an enterprise. The chapter on the British Army makes good reading, so greatly was Sir Arthur impressed by the efficiency of our forces and their brave spirit. Incidentally, our author has a word for the Censorship:—
- An instructive story is still told of how a certain well-meaning traveller recorded his satisfaction with the appearance of the big guns at the retiring and peaceful village of Jamais, and how three days later, by an interesting coincidence, the village of Jamais passed suddenly off the map and dematerialised into brickdust and splinters.
Sir Arthur's praise of the Italian Army is also very fine. He sees in it the spirit of Dorando, who many of us saw all but win that wonderful race at Olympia many years ago — dauntless courage and energy. He points out, however, the internal struggle which is going on in Italy, the forces of clerical sympathy with Austria and the German commercial influence, all of which makes for restiveness with a minority of Italians:—
- When you consider all this you will appreciate how necessary it is that Britain should in every possible way, moral and material, sustain the national party. Should by any evil chance the others gain the upper hand, there might be a very sudden and sinister change in the inter- national situation. Every man who does, says, or writes a thing which may in any way alienate the Italians is really, whether he knows it or not, working for the King of Prussia. They are a grand people, striving most efficiently for the common cause, with all the dreadful disabilities which an absence of coal and iron entails.
I like, also, the section devoted to the French line — Sir Arthur's eloquent appreciation of the French soldiers, their bravery and endurance. Here he throws out a suggestion for our War Office, which it has happily adopted since he wrote, and to-day you may see the gold braid on our own brave men:—
- Among the many neat little marks upon the French uniforms which indicate with precision but without obtrusion the rank and arm of the wearer, there was one which puzzled me. It was to be found on the left sleeve of men of all ranks, from generals to privates, and it consisted of small gold chevrons, one, two, or more. No rule seemed to regulate them, for the general might have none, and I have heard of the private who wore ten. Then I solved the mystery. They are the record of wounds received. What an admirable idea! Surely we should hasten to introduce it among our own soldiers. It costs little and it means much. If you can allay the smart of a wound by the knowledge that it brings lasting honour to the man among his fellows, then surely it should be done.
