We Did Not Fight. 1914-18 Experiences of War Resisters. With a Foreword by Canon H.R.L. Sheppard. (World War One.) BELL (Julian, Edits and Contributes) History

FIRST EDITION, a passage marked to the margin with red pencil on p. 304, a couple of underlinings in same a few pages later, some light foxing throughout, pp. 392, crown 8vo, original black cloth, backstrip lettered in red, gentle knock to top corner of upper board, edges spotted, ownership inscription to flyleaf, dustjacket price-clipped, browned to backstrip panel and lightly dustsoiled overall, touch of chipping at corners, very good. Scarce in the dustjacket. The editor, a child at the outset of the conflict, was not a conscientious objector in the War - but his father, Clive Bell, was. Julian Bell would, a couple of years later, die whilst serving in Spain's guerra civil - albeit as an ambulance-driver rather than a soldier. His editorship of this volume, a statement of the 'desire for peace' in response to the 'growing danger of war', came at the suggestion of David Garnett, who is among the contributors - Adrian Stephen provides another Bloomsbury link, with his closing report on the tribunals of the Military Service Acts. Other contributors include John Rodker, Olaf Stapledon, and Bertrand Russell. Siegfried Sassoon, the only contributor who did, in fact, fight, leads proceedings with the poem 'Asking for It', whilst the Foreword is provided by Canon H.R.L. ('Dick') Sheppard, founder of the Peace Pledge Union.