2. Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967) was a British war poet and soldier
Siegfried Sassoon ( ) was a British war poet and soldier. He was one of the major poets of World War One, and was a close friend and influence on fellow poet Wilfred Owen. He was one of the pioneers of realism in war poetry, and also wrote bitingly about senior officers who sent others to their deaths but did not fight themselves.
Although Sassoon was decorated for acts of bravery during the war, after a period of leave he decided that he could no longer support the war. He sent a declaration condemning the war and the government position to The Times, which was also read out in Parliament. Sassoon was subsequently sent to Craiglockhart Military Hospital to be treated for shell-shock. He eventually returned to fight in the war.
Base Details is a satirical (mocking) poem on the attitudes of the senior officers who live at the base. The speaker imagines himself in the position of a Major, and lists the ways in which he would spend his time, eating and drinking. The poem is about the way in which those who send the young soldiers to their deaths are not directly affected by the war themselves.

3. War Poetry Objectives: To explore the themes in the poem
To develop a response to the poem
To explain the poet’s use of language

4. Base Details by Siegfried Sassoon
If I were fierce, and bald, and short of breath, I'd live with scarlet Majors at the Base, And speed glum heroes up the line to death. You'd see me with my puffy petulant face, Guzzling and gulping in the best hotel, Reading the Roll of Honour. "Poor young chap," I'd say--"I used to know his father well; Yes, we've lost heavily in this last scrap." And when the war is done and youth stone dead, I'd toddle safely home and die--in bed.
The poem describes two types of people: Army Majors and soldiers

5. Create a key:
1 colour for ‘Major’
1 colour for ‘Soldier’
If I were fierce, and bald, and short of breath, I'd live with scarlet Majors at the Base, And speed glum heroes up the line to death. You'd see me with my puffy petulant face, Guzzling and gulping in the best hotel, Reading the Roll of Honour. "Poor young chap," I'd say--"I used to know his father well; Yes, we've lost heavily in this last scrap." And when the war is done and youth stone dead, I'd toddle safely home and die--in bed.
Highlighting

6. Look back at our objectives.
Copy and complete the table below. You need to add in:
2 extra words/ phrases about the Major, and
All the explanations that are missing
Words/ Phrases
This suggests...
Describing the majors
Fierce
The soldiers are afraid of them
Short of breath
They are fat, unfit
Toddle
Describing the soldiers
glum
They are tired, fed up and have no hope
Heroes
Youth stone dead

7. Task
Using the description given in the poem, draw the Major and soldiers described.
Add quotes from the poem.