On returning to France from England, an eye
witness,
Accounts the mobilisation of a keen French army.
Stepping onto the soil of Boulogne gives first
encounter
Of a territorial army - a hurried bringing together
of men,
Who guard all bridges, tunnels and every railway
line.
A mix of men, 31 to 45 years - while most wear
uniform;
Blue blouse and white trousers a red Kepi on heads,
Some still wear mufti – all with 3 days growth of
beards.
They walk about with rifles, all the time fixed
with bayonet.
Our witness has an impression, they are all old
soldiers,
Recalled to their Grande Armée
- Proudly
they brandish
Their arms at any passing train who are filled with
troops.
They call out ‘Bonne Chance! Viva la France!’
All the while are many accounts of spies prowling
about.
One states that a German Café owner, distracted a
sentry,
To give him a drink as his son lays dynamite – both
were shot.
Such stories are exaggerations, but numerous
arrests,
Are made and used for examples to other potential
spies.
The older territorial’s are happy and keenly guard
Paris,
To allow their younger counterparts form front line
defence.
To join his regiment our witness goes on by train,
without hurry
Which stops at all stations to take on troops,
moving on slowly.
Among the men our witness listens in on
conversations –
There is no desire for war, yet confidence of a
fight fills soldiers,
Many with relief, ‘We have been on alert for past
ten years!’
Men make and declare strange views of England and
Russia,
While there is a desire to see their allies on the
battle line -
For them there seems no reason for continued delay.
From this train our witness sees other trains pass
slowly by,
Decorated with garlands taking regiments, artillery
and cavalry.
Men cry out ‘Vive le guerre!’ making many promises
To women folk to bring them back the Kaiser’s
moustache.
A director of a factory, now Artillery Major, sits
in 3rd class
With wife and children - bemoans he has not been
given first class.
Unhappy he reprimands a soldier who smokes and then
snores.
Such soldiers are the peasants, taken from fields
and factories,
Moving to barracks where they will keep up their
spirits up noisily.
Our witness is luckier, when a friend tells him of
a comfortable space
Thus our witness completes his journey on the 4th
day of mobilisation.
With another week before his unit is formed, gives
our witness time
To learn, reflect and become adapted to military
knowledge and ways.
That same day the last regiments of those on active
service depart
For the frontier, leaving their barracks for new
eager reservists -
They will follow in 8 days’ time – all is done in a
calm exchange,
As the deserted barracks fill with eager,
good-tempered men.
In this new section of the active army, are men 25
to 30 years of age.
Married and fathers alike they are keen to be
familiar with soldiering,
Forming a military brotherhood. All taken from
normal lives witness
Their country transform, passing through a complete
change of life.
Residing in a provincial town our witness finds the
place ‘en fete’ -
Regiments leave one by one with garlands of
flowers, music and song.
Soldiers fill the streets and proud uniformed
officers inhabit the cafes.
No one is uncertain of success and even pacifists
are keen to sign up.
Our witness moves from streets into houses - no one
is without someone
Leaving for war. On visiting an old friend he finds
young men of house
Enter as lieutenant’s, sergeants and privates -
while the elders remain quiet.
There is somehow a strong belief that victory will
not be far away,
Perhaps reinvigorating France and homesickness for
Alsace and Lorraine,
That has cut its way deep into the soul of France
for forty years,
That somehow victory will create a better, less
brutal Europe.
By all accounts there is a real hatred of Germany.
Our witness accounts
Two Basques at Bayonne confronting a German who
scoffed at them.
Leaving him with a fractured skull – a less brutal
Europe?
by
Jamie Mann
Anon.,
1914. The Class Leveller - Off To The War - What Mobilisation Means. The
Daily Telegraph, [online] 18 Aug. p.4.
Col.1. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11034569/Daily-Telegraph-August-18-1914.html
[Accessed: 18th August 2014].
Mann, J., 2014. 100
years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 18
August 2014).
#WW1centenary
#GreatWar #WW1 #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone
#worldwaroneremembered
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