Talk:William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim

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[edit] Misc

According to the Oxford Companion of Military History (OUP, Oxford), ISBN 0198662092

1. Slim won the Military Cross in Mesopotamia
2. Slim became Allied Land Forces commander SE Asia after the fall of Rangoon, but before the end of the war. (This is also what Slim says in Defeat into Victory)

What Slim doesn't mention, but the Oxford CoMH does, is that Leese, (his predecessor, posted in from the Med) whilst planning the re-taking of Malaya decided that Slim was not sufficiently of his way of thinking, and relieved him as commander of XIV Army. Slim then asked to be allowed to retire, and his subordinates made their feelings known; Alanbrooke relieved Leese instead, and gave his job to Slim.

INDEED, methinks this "episode" definately deserves mentioning in the article as a. it's an important event and b. defines Slim and his "worth" -- user:fdewaele, 16 November 2006, 22:33.

Whilst the Australians were doubtless right to warm to Slim as a decent bloke rather than a stuffed shirt, he had not "risen from the ranks" in the normal sense of the phrase. He had been in the OTC at University, joined up on the outbreak of war and was commissioned within a month.

(and surely Field Marshal is a rank/honour you never retire from ?)Rjccumbria 22:37, 16 May 2005 (UTC)

• I have deleted "risen from the ranks."
• Even Field Marshals have to retire eventually. Slim had not retired from the Army while he was Governor-General. He was therefore still "Field Marshall Slim" and not "Field Marshal (ret) Slim" or something like that (as is the present Governor-General, Maj-Gen (ret) Jeffery). Adam 01:49, 17 May 2005 (UTC)

What Rjcumbria said rings a bell - I think he is right - Field Marshals cannot retire. I think perhaps they stay on the active list although obviously they can leave a post (eg command of an army or a governor-generalship etc). I'm not sure where that comes from (or why) and it's not in the article on field marshals. Not really relevant, but interesting :) Wiki-Ed 12:51, 15 August 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Infobox

I replaced the Governor General with a Military Person infobox, which WikiProject Military history has just created. I noticed that it was fairly quickly removed, though. I replaced the military box, as I believe Slim is first and foremost remembered as a general, his biographies focus almost exclusively on this aspect for example, and only afterwards on his later political and ceremonial career as Governor General. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this? I suspect that this problem will occur in the future for a number of other figures who have gone on to have political careers. Leithp 08:15, 13 February 2006 (UTC)

There are several arguments for using the Governor-General infobox:

• It is part of series which people can click through to follow the succession of Governors-General
• Being the Queen's Vice-Regal representative tops being a Field-Marshal
• In Australia Slim is best remembered as a Governor-General
• "Military Person" is a ridiculously broad and amorphous category of people - are you going to make hundreds and hundreds of infoboxes? "Governer-General of Australia" is a distinct sequence of 24.

Adam 08:40, 13 February 2006 (UTC)

One of the problems I have with the Governor General Infobox is that it doesn't convey much information beyond that covered by the succession box at the bottom. Also, I'm not arguing that the post isn't important, but as I said it's not really what Slim's place in history is built on. And yes, the plan is to roll out the Military Person box for every substantial military biography article, much like the other projects such as the Military conflict infobox already carried out. Leithp 09:16, 13 February 2006 (UTC)

Might it be possible to adapt the "Later work" field of {{Infobox Military Person}} to contain the needed information about his political career? —Kirill Lokshin 16:44, 13 February 2006 (UTC)

When there are already two different sucession boxes in the article showing his position in the line of Governor-Generals and Slim is remembered best internationally as a Field Marshal, I agree that the military person infobox should take precedence. A link in the 'later work' field can jump down to the section on that of his life. --Loopy ^e 18:39, 13 February 2006 (UTC)

I hope this is in the right place (new to this)

Re Nickname - Slim was known to 14th army as 'Uncle Bill' not 'Bill Slim' - if he is to be ascribed an nickname it should be 'Uncle Bill'.

One of his key attributes as a general was his skill as a communicator - a fact directly linked to his writing career.

His autobiography 'Defeat Into Victory' is widely-acknowledged as one of the best books writtn by a General ever - certainly a better source than John Keegan's book.

Also 'Slim - The Standard Bearer' Ronald Lewin is to be recommended. (reviewed here http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0IAV/is_2_90/ai_76736967)- this book makes a further key point you don't include - Slim was the first Indian Army officer to be appointed CIGS - a tribute to his outstanding talents.

I hope this helps