Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Cyril Bassett/archive1

Cyril Bassett

 * Nominator(s): Zawed (talk) 10:49, 8 September 2019 (UTC)

This is the first of several biographies I hope to bring to FAC as a part of a project to get at least most of the New Zealand Victoria Cross recipients of the First World War to FA class. Cyril Basset was the first soldier of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force to be awarded the VC during the war, for his actions during the Gallipoli Campaign. This article has been through GAN and last year was the subject of a Milhist A-Class review. Thanks in advance to all those who participate in the review. Zawed (talk) 10:49, 8 September 2019 (UTC)

Comments Support by CPA-5

 * He served on the Home Front and by the time Link Home Front.
 * Done, in infobox and lead. I also rephrased a portion of the WWII section since I hadn't actually used the term there previously. Zawed (talk) 10:01, 12 September 2019 (UTC)


 * Corps of New Zealand Engineers, assigned to the New Zealand Divisional Signal Company No link for the New Zealand Divisional Signal Company?
 * Done. Not sure it is notable enough for an article though. Zawed (talk) 10:01, 12 September 2019 (UTC)


 * Initially based in Egypt, after a period of training Pipe Egypt to the Sultanate of Egypt.
 * My preference is to avoid linking countries - I developed this approach in the past in response to reviewer's feedback in GA/A-Class reviews. If another reviewer brings this up as an issue though, I will link it. Zawed (talk) 10:01, 12 September 2019 (UTC)


 * In August 1915, a series of offensives against Turkish positions Pipe Turkish with the Ottoman Empire.
 * Done. Zawed (talk) 10:01, 12 September 2019 (UTC)


 * was captured by the brigade's Wellington Infantry Battalion No link for the unit?
 * Have added a link to the parent regiment. Zawed (talk) 10:01, 12 September 2019 (UTC)


 * had achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel No hyphen in the rank?
 * Hyphen added. Zawed (talk) 10:01, 12 September 2019 (UTC)


 * He was survived by his two daughters and his wife What's the name of his wife?
 * Mentioned previously in article, but have rephrased to name her again. Zawed (talk) 10:01, 12 September 2019 (UTC)


 * In the infobox the years should be four-digits.
 * My understanding of the style guide is that the two digits are OK for the second half of a year range, unless it happens to span the transition between centuries. Zawed (talk) 10:01, 12 September 2019 (UTC)


 * a series of offensives against Turkish positions along the Gallipoli front were You mean "was"?
 * Done. Zawed (talk) 10:01, 12 September 2019 (UTC)


 * Corporal Bassett, in full daylight and under a continuous and heavy fire Remove the "a".
 * This is a quote from the VC citation, it does actually have the a there. I think the phrasing is grammatically correct for the time. Zawed (talk) 10:01, 12 September 2019 (UTC)


 * and the second in March 1918, when he was wounded Remove the extra space.
 * Done. Zawed (talk) 10:01, 12 September 2019 (UTC)


 * By 1939 he was manager of the Auckland Town Hall branch --> "By 1939 he was the manager of the Auckland Town Hall branch".
 * Done. Zawed (talk) 10:01, 12 September 2019 (UTC)

That's anything from me. Cheers. CPA-5 (talk) 11:25, 11 September 2019 (UTC)
 * Thanks for taking the time to review this article. I have actioned amendments in response to some of your comments although there are a few I responded to above. Zawed (talk) 10:01, 12 September 2019 (UTC)
 * Looks good to me. Cheers. CPA-5 (talk) 15:32, 13 September 2019 (UTC)

Sources review
Brianboulton (talk) 20:07, 12 September 2019 (UTC)
 * Spotchecks: I carried out a few, and they are generally OK. With ref 9, it supports "...and the second in March 1918, when he was wounded in an artillery barrage on the headquarters of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, where he was the signals officer. The same barrage killed the brigade's commander, Brigadier-General Harry Fulton." This is cited to Austin 1924, p. 299. It's very hard to find p. 299 in the linked source – it would help if you gave a chapter ref. However, I found the page and it checks out OK.
 * Formats: no issues
 * Quality/reliability: no issues – sources meet FA quality criteria.
 * , thanks for checking this. RE Austin, perhaps I should make the url to the specific chapter in the source? Zawed (talk) 09:36, 16 September 2019 (UTC)

Comments Support by PM
This article is in fine shape. I have some comments:
 * Strictly speaking the Victoria Cross Bassett received was the highest award for gallantry that could be awarded "at the time", as there is now the Victoria Cross for New Zealand
 * Rephrased. Zawed (talk) 08:24, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * "He was the first and only soldier" is tautological, if he was the only one, he clearly was the first. Suggest dropping "first and"
 * Done. Zawed (talk) 08:24, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * suggest indenting Battle of the Somme under Western Front in the infobox
 * Done. Have also added the Battle of Chunuk Bair and indented in a similar manner. Zawed (talk) 08:24, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * his full name should be provided in full and cited in the body
 * Done. Zawed (talk) 08:24, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * "his courage under fire was noted" but no award was made at that time?
 * Not according to the source. Zawed (talk) 09:25, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * suggest moving his citation to the chronologically appropriate point in the narrative, and just retaining the recommendation when he actually did the actions that resulted in the award
 * Not sure I fully understand the comment about retaining the recommendation, but I have reordered the content a little here. I didn't delete any material as I didn't think there was much overlap of content. Zawed (talk) 09:25, 16 September 2019 (UTC)
 * Sorry, I should have been clearer. What I meant was following the chronology of recommendation and award, rather than immediately saying he was awarded it and giving the citation. At the time of the recommendation, state that Temperley recommended him for the VC, then talk about his evacuation, then when the award is announced, then provide the citation and related narrative about his being the only NZ Gallipoli VC and his investiture. This approach avoids jumping back and forth. Just a suggestion anyway, feel free to disregard it. Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 09:42, 16 September 2019 (UTC)
 * Ah, I got you. I have rejigged the narrative now, hopefully works for you. Cheers, Zawed (talk) 08:58, 17 September 2019 (UTC)


 * link Buckingham Palace
 * Done. Zawed (talk) 08:24, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * any info about what he was recommended for the MC for?
 * Unfortunately no. Zawed (talk) 09:25, 16 September 2019 (UTC)
 * , further to this, I have since discovered a source that provides a little detail on the recommendation and have added to the article. Cheers, Zawed (talk) 09:13, 23 September 2019 (UTC)


 * "the couple would have had two daughters"
 * Done. Zawed (talk) 08:24, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * was the National Military Reserve a formal thing? Is there an article for it to link to?
 * I had to drill into this, and yes, it was set up at the start of WWII for service on the home front. I have done a redlink for it. Zawed (talk) 09:25, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * "He was modest of his achievements " as achievements is repetitive
 * Rephrased. Zawed (talk) 08:24, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * " W [w]hen I got my medal"
 * Done. Zawed (talk) 08:24, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * "the only New Zealand signaller"
 * Done. Zawed (talk) 08:24, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * "Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals" or intro the abbreviation when it is mentioned earlier and use that
 * Done. Zawed (talk) 08:24, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association and link
 * Done. Zawed (talk) 08:24, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * link ANZAC Day
 * Done. Zawed (talk) 08:24, 16 September 2019 (UTC)

That's all I have. Nice work on this. Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 09:52, 14 September 2019 (UTC)
 * , thanks for taking a look at this. I have responded with edits and comments above. Cheers, Zawed (talk) 09:25, 16 September 2019 (UTC)
 * All good. I've clarified one point above, but it is nothing that would stop my support. Great job. Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 09:42, 16 September 2019 (UTC)

Image review


 * Suggest adding alt text
 * Have added alt text for all images. Zawed (talk) 11:59, 21 September 2019 (UTC)


 * File:Cyril_Bassett,_1917.jpg: when/where was this first published? Nikkimaria (talk) 13:25, 14 September 2019 (UTC)
 * I can't determine this so have opted to remove it. Zawed (talk) 11:59, 21 September 2019 (UTC)

Support by Ian
Recusing from coord duties, I reviewed and supported at MilHist ACR and found precious little to complain about, so too here although I did tweak a few things. I'll take Brian's and Nikki's source and image reviews as read. The only query I have, and it doesn't affect my support, is to double-check that there's no information on, or recommendation for, the MC that he was not awarded. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 11:15, 16 September 2019 (UTC)
 * , thanks for the support. I haven't been able to find anything further on that MC recommendation. Zawed (talk) 12:19, 21 September 2019 (UTC)
 * , I tell a lie; I went back to the library and found a short history of the NZ Divisional Signals by Ellis in which there are couple of snippets about Bassett. This includes a sentence on his actions in March 1918 which as it turns out led to the gallantry award recommendation. I have added this to the article now. Cheers, Zawed (talk) 08:20, 23 September 2019 (UTC)
 * Ace! Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 09:23, 23 September 2019 (UTC)

Lingzhi

 * Looking for stuff not mentioned, if any. Not saying must add:
 * "Àuckland War Memorial Museum: A commemorative pine tree - a radiata pine (Pinus radiata)- was planted by Lt Col. Cyril Bassett VC on Anzac Day, 1950, in front of the Museum, where it still srands (Blackley 1997). It is a peculiar, moribund tree (Figure 9). The tree is said to have been grown from a seedling taken from Lone Pine Ridge at Gallipoli. As the tree is obviously not going to survive very much longer, a new tree - an Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis from Motuihe Island - was planted near it on 27 August 2003 (Cameron 2003)." ♦ Lingzhi2 (talk) 12:34, 10 October 2019 (UTC)
 * This has good stuff ♦ Lingzhi2 (talk) 14:28, 10 October 2019 (UTC)
 * here
 * here ♦ Lingzhi2 (talk) 14:32, 10 October 2019 (UTC)
 * , thanks for the comments. I have added the material about the tree planting to the later life and legacy section. It seemed to work best following the initial mention of the war museum displaying his medals. The other links relate to the VC action itself although I don't think they add materially to the current description of this in the article so have opted to not use them. Cheers, Zawed (talk) 21:20, 12 October 2019 (UTC)
 * Sounds good. I was thinking the same thing. ♦ Lingzhi2 (talk) 21:47, 12 October 2019 (UTC)

-- Laser brain  (talk)  11:25, 21 October 2019 (UTC)