Monday, 11 August 2014

Poem ~ Friendly Fire on Southsea House - Tuesday, 11 August 1914




There came a turnaround of a few days before,
Where by the resorts by an English sea,
Carry on with holiday life in virtual normality.
Such places though are not as safe as may seem,
As in a moment a stray shell from an offshore fort,
Found its way to damage a house in quiet Southsea.

A practice shell at Spithead from a 6 inch gun,
Strayed from Spithead then to ricochet into a lawn.
By luck the owners were away, as damage was done.
All windows were smashed and a wall blown down.
With trees and bushes uprooted while the roof was hit,
As was that of a neighbour - the railings were cut,
And the gate was turned into matchwood.

While a splendid response to army recruitment,
Is reported with 3,000 stepping forward each day:
But a month will be needed to meet Kitchener's needs.
So a full-page advert takes centre stage calling out
For 100,000 men, between 19-30 years of age:
Meanwhile across Belgium Boy scouts go to war.

by Jamie Mann

Anon., 1914. Shell Explodes - Damage at Southsea. The Daily Telegraph, 11 Aug. p.10. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/1914/august/11022573/Daily-Telegraph-August-11-1914.html [Accessed: 11th August 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 11 August 2014). 



#WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1 #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered

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