A fact from Harold Taylor (polymath) appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 10 August 2008, and was viewed approximately 318 times (disclaimer) (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:
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Latest comment: 15 years ago3 comments2 people in discussion
The reason I added his rank is that it is fairly unusual for a Lieutenant-Colonel to be allowed to use their rank after retirement. His full-time career may only have covered (part of) the war, but he served part-time from before leaving New Zealand until his retirement. David Underdown (talk) 08:58, 11 August 2008 (UTC)Reply
I noticed your great addition of sourced data on his career, including information from his obituary from The Times 1995. (I have access to the Gale Thompson database of The Times 1785-1985, but don't known how to access content after that, except on microfilm.)
I removed the rank from the very beginning of the article (right before the name) because I felt it gave too much emphasis to his military career. I would probably not have had any major objection to that placement if it had been someone who was mainly known as a soldier, but Taylor was a Ph.D., a vice-chancellor of a British university and is mainly known for things entirely outside his "formal" career. If being allowed to retain his rank in this way was unusual, I think this should be emphasized at the appropriate chronological point within the biography, but I do not think it belongs before the name at the beginning. Is there any reason the article couldn't just as well begin "Vice-Chancellor Dr Harold McCarter Taylor..."? (Please note that I am not actually advocating doing that, just questioning what I see as the arbitrariness in giving preference to his military title.)
By the way, I linked the Lefroy Medal, as I got the impression that it was a big deal, but it does not seem to have an article (plenty of other awards have Wikipedia articles) and I don't know where to find the sources for one (nor am I terribly interested in doing so, personally). If it indeed is important, perhaps the military history buffs could do something about it. If it isn't, perhaps it should be unlinked. --Hegvald (talk) 09:37, 11 August 2008 (UTC)Reply
For some reason I don't entirely understand the Manual of Style allows the use of state titles/honours (which has been taken to include miltary ranks), but proscribes the use of acadmeic styles, Dr, Prof etc, so in that sense there is a reason.
On the times, the subscription I have also includes access to the post 1985 stuff, also a Gale-Thompson database, you may just need to look around a little more. David Underdown (talk) 09:57, 11 August 2008 (UTC)Reply
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