To paint a picture for those at home a soldier
correspondent,
Marks the arrival of first British regiments upon
French soil.
It is 9pm Saturday night in Boulogne finds all
cafes closed,
But all the local and café people do not want to go
home.
Instead they gather round the British Military
headquarters,
Of Hotel Bristol, about the railway station and
waiting rolling stock.
Words spread about Boulogne of activities at Wimereux
rest camp
In preparations to leave for battle lines alongside
French comrades
This collecting of joyful civilians are there to
wish troops Gods speed.
They represent the relief of French people
receiving British people
Into war; these Scotsmen are the first to be allied
to French forces.
From informality about the Chateau, comes the order
for formation.
In lines they now march down the hill, to sounds of
French accents,
Calling ‘goodbye’ and ‘good luck’ – then rush to
shake Scottish hands,
And spoil their Marching order. Good-humoured
disarray is displayed.
Amid sound and waving their regimental insignia are
begged by people.
The French who clasp them give them tricolour of
France for their caps
Their progress is slowed down the hill while horses
slip on the stones.
Scottish soldiers give no signs of their slump in
joy
as nearing the station cries of ‘Are we
downhearted!’
In Scottish accents are answered by themselves with
‘No!’
These words soon pass into the calls of French
people surrounding them.
The Scottish battalion marches on to the uniting
sounds of Bagpipes.
Men become happier when a maid or older lady, give
a kiss to a soldier.
They pass the quays to where their troop trains are
waiting to depart,
To board with destination unknown – even if known,
no word would be said.
A snatched conversation between our soldier
correspondent and reservist,
Declare how men pride themselves as the very
backbone of the army.
He cannot but admire the beaming troopers 'esprit
des corps' –
This cockney reservist says they are called
‘Die-hards’ and promises
On meeting any Germans they will live up to this.
In their preparation for a twenty-hour journey they
are certain,
That they will arrive near the front to start
fighting on Monday morning.
Yet if they travel for three hours they will arrive
at a camp for another wait.
‘He don’t know anyfink!' Challenges another cockney
of this prediction.
From another window they watch Harry from Hoxton
address some French
To make them laugh with songs and saying in his
strange British accent.
The train departs with much noise, shouting of
farewell between strangers.
This buoyant Boulogne arrival is in contrast
to Southampton departures,
Now officially revealed is how this English
Port is playing its part in war.
The Southampton shipping port sits as a
shadow of what in peacetime,
Being a bustling place of quayside workers
and varied shipping companies.
Under the decree of an army act the port machinery
runs as clockwork,
Behind a guarded dock beyond lock gates in an
operation undertaken
To safely see the shipping of men and equipment off
to the continent.
While complete secrecy could not be given, the port
town, Southampton
Willingly undertook its part in ensuring the
passage of Kitchener's army.
Southampton must have, for a time, seemed like
extensive barracks.
The people of the town, in addition to the rest
camps on their common
Billeted as many members of the army in their
homes, as they could.
Without fuss of bands singing or garlands of
flowers marking their way,
These first troopships with an escort of tugs
slipped their moorings.
Into the channel only a signal from a nearby yacht
and hoots of tug boats
Bid them farewell, returned by a cheering of these
France bound troops.
by
Jamie Mann
Anon.,
1914. Off to the Front - British Soldiers at Boulogne - Enthusiastic Scenes. The
Daily Telegraph, [online] 19 Aug. p.7.
Col.7. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11034601/Daily-Telegraph-August-19-1914.html
[Accessed: 19th August 2014].
Anon.,
1914. Scenes at Southampton. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 19 Aug. p.7. Col.7. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11034601/Daily-Telegraph-August-19-1914.html
[Accessed: 19th August 2014].
Mann, J., 2014. 100
years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 19
August 2014).
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