Poem ~ Rescued by Regimental Dog - Wednesday, 30 September 1914

Published in the Petit Journal,

A letter, written by a French soldier,

From Le Mans, informs his family,

How the pet dog of the regiment,

With the name of Tom, saved him.

Among the corpses on the battlefield,

Half covered by the fallen bodies

Of comrades - the soldier lay still –

In his arm was lodged a fragment

Of a shell, a bullet rested in his jaw,

And blood of a sabre cut, to his head.

Then a light touch to his forehead -

He looked to find the regimental dog,

Tom, stood over him. The soldier tried

To move - fighting against his pain.

Tom was trained to carry the képi

Of a wounded man, but his was lost.

The dog hesitated, as the man spoke

Telling him to run, to find comrades.

Understanding Tom turned and ran

Back to their camp - Gaining attention,

By pulling at men’s capes and barking.

Finally Tom drew two ambulance men,

To where the wounded man lay,

Waiting until the soldier was rescued.

Bravely Tom stayed with his regiment,

Out in the line - when the bullets start

He dug a hole a and crouching, waiting

For the fighting to lull, only then Tom

Emerged, to help the ambulance crew,

To find and save wounded soldiers.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Red Cross Dog – Saving the Wounded. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 30 Sept. p.7. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11129046/Daily-Telegraph-September-30-1914.html [Accessed: 30 September 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 30 September 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11129046/Daily-Telegraph-September-30-1914.html

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Poem ~ Night Fighting on the Aisne - Tuesday, 29 September 1914

From a Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers,

A Lance-corporal recounts a night attack

On the Aisne. After a hard day in the trenches

The men were tired and wet to the skin.

So in order to dry out tunics they lit fires.

All at once came flashing firing along the line,

And like ‘mad-men’ Germans rushed

Forward, from out of the darkness.

The Fusiliers fought back in shirtsleeves.

Close proximity made hand-to-hand combat,

Very hard work, in employment of bayonets.

In darkness the enemy, supported by cavalry

Who charged in force to run them down.

The Fusiliers held them off, until support

Of infantry and allied cavalry arrived,

And succeeded in driving them away.

During the fight a competition occurred,

Between Lancer regiment and Battalion,

As to who could get at the Germans first.

Despite the Irish Battalion lack of horses,

They won in the end - running at German

Hordes with trained shouting and bayonets.

Then the Lancers followed and the Germans,

Were cleared away from their front line.

Worse was still to follow for the French.

The Germans, back in strength, had massed,

Across a front position, where they faced

A mass of French infantry, who now advanced.

In the night, at the double, made for the enemy,

But suddenly German batteries opened up,

From the shelter of woods - letting loose

With shrapnel showers and machine guns.

The long French line wavered and contracted.

This corporal saw the worst sight with sounds,

Of shells slicing through the close packed

French ranks - Men went down like grass,

Under a scythe - a hundred fell and more

Until the mass opened up in extended order.

The French still rushed at the enemy guns,

Despite at each step under heavy attack,

By relentless German cavalry and infantry

Until finally the French silenced the guns.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Battle Stories - Fight with Bayonets - Silencing the Guns. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 29 September. p.5. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11124060/Daily-Telegraph-September-29-1914.html [Accessed: 29th September 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 29th September 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11124060/Daily-Telegraph-September-29-1914.html

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Poem ~ Peronne Occupation – Monday, 28 September 1914

The Parisian publication, Liberté, outlines

The German invasion of the town, Peronne.

Overlooking Peronne in the woods of Racogne,

Were situated German guns and from the East;

Artillery positioned on the Somme’s left bank.

From here they began to shell the town,

Which greatly suffered – 5pm and Germans,

Just outside the town, were fought fiercely

By Alpine regiments and French Dragoons –

But by force the troops had to retreat.

With Germans entering the town at 5.30pm

The enemy soldiers behaved wildly, shouting

And shooting at windows, to terrorise people.

On reaching the Town Hall, they summoned

The authorities – none came, so setting fire

To the Sub-prefecture building and houses.

Pouring petrol about and throwing grenades-

Meant the main square was quickly in danger,

Of being totally destroyed - when a priest

Canon Caron, Stepped forth to talk to officers.

He gained a promise - all German movements,

Through their town, should not be marked

In destruction of the ancient town of Peronne.

Three citizens were then selected to administer

The town, while four hostages were taken -

After three days they were safely released.

From the date 27 August to 14 September,

The occupation lasted, with the Germans

Behaving wilfully, in their taking provisions,

Searching and looting all shops and houses.

They filled their trains with stolen furniture,

Which was then sent onto Germany.

On 5 September the head German Doctor,

Gave orders for transportation of all French

Wounded to go to Amiens  - The Red Cross

Sent 20 automobiles with Doctors and nurses.

At the point of their leaving for Amien,

They were forcibly detained in Peronne

By the town governor, Colonel Von Kosser.

Released from barracks after two days,

They were forced to walk to Amiens, as all

The automobiles were commandeered.

In a hurry the enemy left the town,

On 14 September - leaving ambulances

Wounded and the medical staff consisting

Of 25 Doctors, 70 women, 150 assistants,

A Protestant and a Franciscan Chaplain,

And some sisters’ - the nuns being armed.

Nuns with heavy revolvers gave a reason;

For their self-protection. By the morning,

A French cavalry division made occupation.

While The Geneva Convention was violated,

The ambulance personnel were treated well

The ambulances were then soon organised

And loaded onto trains, sent to Switzerland

Meanwhile the nuns with guns were disarmed.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Germans in Peronne – Loot sent to Germany- armed Nuns. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 28 Sept. p.11. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11124057/Daily-Telegraph-September-28-1914.html [Accessed: 28th September 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 28 September 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11124057/Daily-Telegraph-September-28-1914.html

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Poem ~ Zeppelins Shot and Spotted - Sunday, 27 September 1914

Into the renamed city of Russian Petrograd,

Two railway trucks conveyed remains

Of a Zeppelin airship - shot down, as reported,

From a great height by Russian artillery.

The largest part of the inflated body destroyed,

By the exploding gas  - the underbelly

Of an engine car, with four propellers, survived,

The fittings intact and in good repair.

This Eastern front has reported the destruction,

So far, of two German Zeppelins.

But if this was one of them, it was not clarified.

Perhaps this was an additional craft,

Lost to the aerial fleet that Germany intended

To play a big part in the war.

This Zeppelin, if shot down in dead of night,

Will be the third airship,

Of the same type, the Russians have gained.

As other two captures,

Were reported as happening in broad daylight.

On the coast of Belgium, at Ostend, Saturday,

Occurred a Zeppelin raid setting out to destroy

Ammunition trains, which the enemy believed

To be halted at the station. In fact the trains

Had been there, but had left on a previous day.

The belief is that the enemy had gained

Information of ammunition trains from spies.

From Copenhagen, on Friday, North East

Of Kattegat, at Thunoe - a Zeppelin flight,

Had been seen moving slowly south east,

To vanish towards the strait of the Little Belt.

Reports from Bordeaux, on Friday evening,

Are received in a dispatch, that Switzerland

At Basle, bore witness of a dark, moving

Zeppelin - in a trial flight, it had proceeded

Above Lake Constance - the suggestion is

That this test flight was not very successful.

As to how or why, the paper gives no clue...

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. War on Zeppelins - Another Capture Reported. The Daily Telegraph - Special War Edition, [online] 27 Sept. p.2. Col.1. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11121585/Daily-Telegraph-September-27-1914.html [Accessed: 27th September 2014].

Anon.,1914. Airship at Ostend - Object of the Attack. The Daily Telegraph - Special War Edition, [online] 27 Sept. p.2. Col.1. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11121585/Daily-Telegraph-September-27-1914.html [Accessed: 27th September 2014].

Anon.,1914. Flight near the Baltic. The Daily Telegraph - Special War Edition, [online] 27 Sept. p.2. Col.1. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11121585/Daily-Telegraph-September-27-1914.html [Accessed: 27th September 2014].

Anon.,1914. A New Zeppelin. The Daily Telegraph - Special War Edition, [online] 27 Sept. p.2. Col.1. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11121585/Daily-Telegraph-September-27-1914.html [Accessed: 27th September 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 27 September 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11121585/Daily-Telegraph-September-27-1914.html

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Poem ~ Dublin Recruitment Speeches – Saturday, 26 September 1914

The Prime Minster Mr Asquith, in a visit to Ireland,

Spoke from the Dublin Mansion House on Friday night

With Irish leader Mr Redmond, addressing a recruiting

Meeting. While crowds remained outside devoid of tickets,

3000 people filled the round room to hear the speakers.

Having declined a public welcome in Kingstown,

The Prime Minister, accompanied by Mrs Asquith

And Miss Violet Asquith, Was still greeted keenly,

By a large gathered crowd on the pier – The party

Were then driven to the Viceregal Lodge,

To be the guests of the Earl of Aberdeen.

Crowds had waited all day about the Mansion House-

As inside an audience gave a standing ovation,

For several minutes, to Mr Asquith and Mr Redmond.

In the Lord Mayor’s opening statement was declared,

That the Irish people were practically unanimous,

In support of the government - The audience cheered.

Their cheers being for war and on side of the Minister.

He spoke out in making a prompt for weak nations,

To stand up against a strong enemy’s violence -

Whose practice of intrusion is their religion of force.

Asquith gave marked pauses throughout his speech,

At how Germany had been readily equipping for war –

And how their youth is taught the belief of German,

Supreme power - The speaker formed a picture,

In his plea against militarism of a ruthless Germany -

Creating wastage of war and dislocation.

His call was for a ‘place in the sun’ for small nations,

And for their equality in rights - the speech built

Towards the purpose of his appeal for recruitment.

Making his Premier call from Dublin,

Mr Asquith indicates how mustering convoys

Are forming in all parts of British Dominions.

Alluding to two aspects of current recruitment,

The first being of troops landing at Marseilles.

Today in France of the First Indian Contingent,

While at home more than 500,000 recruits

Have joined the colours - Leading to the point

Of his trip to Ireland asking them to take part -

While adding he does not need to ask –

He makes a request to National Volunteers

And others, to be prompt and enthusiastic,

In joining a worthy and large contingent,

For the growth of second army - Ideally

There would be a formation of Irish Brigade,

Or even an Irish Army Corps - would be welcomed.

In acknowledging great pride in Irish recruits,

Asquith says more men were wanted from Ireland

Ireland was called ‘The loyal daughter of the Empire’ -

Subjects were noted as unthinkable - of how one section

Of Irishmen were prepared to fight other Irishmen -

And how Britain was to be in a place to fight either….

At which point loud cheers filled the air.

Recruits were now wanted at once, to be ready in time,

For what might, and could be the final, decisive battle,

For ‘the greatest struggle in the history of the world.’

The speaker adds with force ‘old animosities are dead

And we are a united nation.’  A culmination of cheers

Seems to be the conviction of Ireland‘s readiness,

To give recruits as the, ‘free offering of a free people.’

Following a speech by Earl of Meath, Mr Redmond

Roused eager sympathy of Ireland with Belgium,

Making references to the Louvain atrocities -

Ireland was in full empathy with the wars objectives.

The Irish Leader noting while this was not an Irish war,

Everything was at stake - for which they had striving

For in over forty years was now caught in this struggle –

Mr Redmond calls on the Great British people, having

Faith with Ireland -Now Ireland will return that faith.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Premier’s call to Ireland – Plea for Army Corps – A united Empire – First Indian Contingent – Arrival at Marseilles. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 26 Sept. p.7. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11121578/Daily-Telegraph-September-26-1914.html [Accessed: 26 September 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 26 September 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11121578/Daily-Telegraph-September-26-1914.html

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Poem ~ Briefing of a Fighting Front – Friday, 25 September 1914

A communication is received

From Paris, 3pm on Thursday afternoon,

Stating the current situations.

Between the Oise and the Somme,

On the Allies left wing,

Troops have progressed towards Roye.

Peronne is still occupied,

By allied detachments, determined

To maintain their position,

Despite the enemies vigorous attacks.

Meanwhile between the Oise and Aisne,

The enemy is still entrenching

Their large forces - The Allies progress

North-west Of Berry-au-bac.

Centrally between Argonne and Reims

Is no change - upon the heights

Of the Meuse and east of the Argonne,

The enemy still continues,

With fierce attacks – the struggles move,

Like a wavering line.

Advances gained at certain points, only

To alternate with retreating

Positions elsewhere. Within the regions,

Of Nancy and in the Vosges,

Are no real changes - enemy detachments,

Trying to enter French lands,

Have been swiftly driven back by the allies,

And our ‘light covering force.’

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Progress of the Allied Armies – Advance on the left – Peronne Occupied – Some Fierce Fighting. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 25 Sept. p.7. Col.3. Available at: Progress of the Allied Armies – Advance on the left – Peronne Occupied – Some Fierce Fighting [Accessed: 25th September 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 25 September 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11119583/Daily-Telegraph-September-25-1914.html

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Poem ~ End of War? – Thursday, 24 September 1914

Looking to the final outcome of war,

No one in America wavers in the belief,

That the Allies will not gain victory -

Apart From German-American’s who,

Like the Kaiser, feel God is on their side.

In the interests of speculation

Officers of the American army,

Were canvassed for their opinion

Of the European war’s outcome,

By the publishers of New York World.

40 officers above the rank of Captain,

Were asked to answer 2 questions:

How long will the war in Europe last?

Which side will be the victor?

To note twenty officers did not reply.

The overall answers were as follows:

The war will last from nine to eighteen

Months, and then Germany, unless

She is super human, will be defeated.

Among them, one said that Germany

Had a strong fighting chance to win.

Being noted as remarkable,

Was same line of reasoned beliefs -

All agreed that it is a war of all resources.

The fighting will go on, until one side

Has exhausted all their finite energies.

The questions led to a unified conclusion.

From the belligerents manner of force,

And each powers state of mind, prior to war,

This fight is likely to be a death struggle -

Until one side is crushed.  Then it will be

More than fifty years for the loser to recover.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. How it will End – American Military Views. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 24 Sept. p.3. Col.1. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11116439/Daily-Telegraph-September-24-1914.html [Accessed: 24th September 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 24 September 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11116439/Daily-Telegraph-September-24-1914.html

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Poem ~ War Rifles - Wednesday, 23 September 1914

For the gentlemen of culture,

Set out in the 'club-land' paper,

Of the Westminster Gazette,

Comes a discussion on rifle patterns.

An article of the soldier’s weaponry,

Discusses the rifles characteristics

Of each side - used in the fight to win, 

The European war - a comparison

Of service rifles may give a clue, 

To the pros and cons of each country.

British troops, it is said, are not

Being armed alike - having varied

Rifles – but each one has been adapted, 

For the same cartridge. The standard

Regular Army small arms issued, 

Is the Short Lee-Enfield rifle -

A result of the Boer War experience.

In this production of an adaptable rifle  

Which, not being too long in the barrel,

Can easily be carried on horseback,

And purposeful for infantry usage,

And in the need for bayonet fixing.

For the interests of technically minded,

The Short Lee-Enfield rifle,

Is made of a twenty-five inch barrel, 

With seven grooves in the rifling. 

Each magazine holds ten cartridges,

Fixed in clips - but with an ability to load

Single cartridges  - For the other rifle,

The Lee-Enfield, has a thirty-inch barrel.

The wood casing, short of the muzzle,

Fitting about only part of the barrel.

Both rifles fire bullets of .303 inches,

The cartridge is filled with cordite -

Per second a rounded bullet reaches

2,000 feet - While a sharp pointed bullet 

Increases in speed up to 2,440 feet.

Such high velocity gives advantages,

To minimize any errors in a lower range -

The newer, pointed bullet’s speed,

Endangers any standing target, compared 

To the old rounded bullet having a high Lift, 

Moves too high to be of danger to an enemy.

The rifle of the German army being a Mauser,

Can fire pointed bullets at 2,800ft a second.

The Mauser is of the 1898 pattern - the barrel

Being 29 inches long with four rifling grooves.

The magazine of five un-detachable cartridges,

With the rounded bullet a velocity is 2,090 feet

A second - the bullets diameter of .311 inches

Weighing 227 grains (the English is 215).

Such rifles were favoured by Boers - and held

In the right hands proves an excellent shooter.

The French are faithful to the Lebel rifle,

Of 1886, which possesses a tube magazine

Below the barrel, with eight cartridges

31 and half inches, the barrel has a calibre

Of .315 inches with four rifling grooves. 

The rounded bullet had velocity of 2,073 feet

And the pointed bullet 2,380 feet.

The pointed bullet originated in 1905, comes

Via Germany - is copied by France, England

And others - its gain an increase of speed

Moves as high as 2,900 feet per second,

Increasing the 'danger-space' of flight.

An earlier Mauser pattern is used by Belgium.

Lighter than the short Lee-Enfield by 2oz,

The barrel is 30 inches and fires a .301 bullet,

Weighing 219 grains - the chamber pressure

Higher than others gives velocity of 2,034 feet.

Austria is armed with Mannlicher – loaded

By a box magazine - the barrel of 30 inches,

Has 4 grooves to the rifling - the usage 

Of a steel bullet of 244 grains and .322 inch

Diameter – the muzzle velocity of 2,034 feet

Per second - 19.7 tons a sq inch chamber

Pressure, Equal to the Belgian Mauser.

For the Russians the rifle is the Nagant,

Adopted from 1894  - a box magazine 

Holds 5 cartridges 31.5 being barrel length

And 4 grooves in rifling. The velocity being

1,985 feet and bullet weight of 214 grains.

In conclusion the differences of weapons 

Remain fairly slight with the German Mauser 

Having the highest velocity, is balanced 

Against the British skills of marksmanship.

The theory is that if another war ever evolves

All troops will be issued with automatic rifles;

Such weaponry is rapidly being perfected.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Rifles in the War - Comparison of types. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 23 Sept. p.3. Col.6-7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11109716/Daily-Telegraph-September-23-1914.html [Accessed: 23rd September 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 23 September 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11109716/Daily-Telegraph-September-23-1914.html

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