Sly, Eric Ronald (Oral history)

British civilian pacifist worked as journalist and court reporter on conscientious objector cases in London, GB, 1940-1945

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1914-1939: family; father's service during First World War; story of writing poetry for wounded soldiers; employment as journalist; reasons for joining the League of Nations Union; attitude to the Versailles Peace Treaty, 1919; religious basis of pacifist beliefs; joining the Peace Pledge Union and foundation the Stoke Newington Branch; reaction to possibility of war. Aspects of period as journalist and court reporter in London, GB, 1939-1945: obtaining role as journalist in courts trying conscientious objector cases; political beliefs; reasons for joining the Industrial and Social Order Committee; prior recollection of joining the Quakers, 1925; role with Peace News; description of Fenner Brockway's work with Central Board for Conscientious Objectors; background to becoming Central Board for Conscientious Objectors district secretary for North London. REEL 2 Continues: further comments on Fenner Brockway; story of helping Fenner Brockway with briefings in House of Commons; relations between official bodies and Central Board for Conscientious Objectors; role of Central Board for Conscientious Objectors from Second World War to Falklands War; description of mock tribunals; question of not being over-prepared for tribunals; attitude to privilege and social class among conscientious objectors; opinion of Jehovah's Witnesses; registering as conscientious objector and subsequent tribunals, 1941; voluntary war work, including fire-watching and shelter work with Relief Service Unit in Poplar, London; opinion of treatment of conscientious objectors during war; story about Quaker conscientious objector in First World War; attitude to 'shirkers'; role of Advisory Bureau; description of post-war peace activity. REEL 3 Continues: attitude to female conscientious objectors; publicising pacifist cause in court reporting; public attitude to conscientious objectors; story about son's work as conscientious objector with theatre group touring service camps; description of work during German Air Force attacks; comparison of civilian life in First and Second World Wars; opinion of role of Central Board for Conscientious Objectors during Second World War; description of views expressed in article 'Coping with Hitler'; opinion of importance of conscientious objectors' peace testimony. Reflections on anti-war activities, 1945-1990: description of peace activities including marches; opinion of Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; effect of nuclear weapons on peace movement; question of changing nature of war and the arms trade. REEL 4 Continues: opinion of United Nations and idea of international peacekeeping force; attitude to violence; opinion of current political situation in Eastern Europe and Soviet Union.