Amid the distresses of war, humour is present.
Barrack room ‘persiflage,’ is a spirit of a soldier’s
Way – now taken into the situations of trenches.
The Tommy Atkins' demeanour of cheerfulness,
Perhaps having influenced other allied armies.
One such account could be a Belgian Sergeant.
During duty in a battlefield trench, a stray bullet
Hit him in the left eye – tragic enough, he then
Stood to address his officer, to say, ’Commandant,
I’m off. I’ve had enough of this game. The Germans
Evidently don’t care where they are firing!’
Another man from the army of King Albert,
In observing a German train, filled with enemy
Soldiers, saw that the stoker and driver step from
The engine - this sergeant no doubt, perceiving
The humour of the idea, utilised his skill stepped
To the engine's footplate. Under the release
Of steam the Belgian Sergeant directed an
Unsuspecting train full of ammunition, with 320
German soldiers, over into the Belgian lines.
One can only imagine the enemy’s faces, as they
Stepped down as prisoners, without even having
The chance to raise a rifle, to make a protest shot.
An odd incident was made by a Belgian cyclist
Carabinier – one day acting as escort to a genera,
Found himself at the edge of the firing line.
Dismounting his cycle and lifting up his carbine,
Without orders, he made the aim to take five
Shots bringing down five attacking Uhlans.
Calmly addressing the General, the man gave his
Reason, ‘Excuse me sire, but the temptation
Was really too strong for me.’
In reply to an interpreter a German prisoner,
Of rank of Sergeant, explained how he and
His men came to becoming prisoners of war.
It was some hours into an attack, when two
Frenchmen were observed heading towards
A house - With three soldiers, the German
Sergeant stalked them to find them hiding.
They kept the French prisoners in the cellar.
Instead of taking them back to their lines,
The German Sergeant said, that as shells
Falling fast and densely, they waited until
The attack ended – then, when it was dark
They took them to a farm. Sharing their food,
They remained there – to be joined by another
Non-commissioned Officer for the night.
On the next day the battle began again
With renewed intensity – the presence
Of the prisoners started to be a concern
To the Germans, not knowing what to do
With them - to take them to the Captain
Meant crossing the deadly line of fire -
Into a foolish situation of certain death.
So as one, the Germans turned to their
Prisoners and held up their hands
In surrender to be their French prisoners.
Once the battle died and ended, the now
Re-armed Frenchmen took their return,
Triumphant with five enemy prisoners.
A footnote makes the suggestion,
That such raw material as this, might
Make much good use, to those
Composers of comic opera shows.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1914. War’s Humours – Some Amusing Episodes. The Daily
Telegraph, [online] 24 Oct. p.13. Col.2. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11183483/Daily-Telegraph-October-24-1914.html
[Accessed: 24 October 2014].
Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 24 October 2014).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered
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