Wednesday, 5 November 2014

Poem ~ Fraudulent Soldier - Thursday, 5 November 1914


A young man in uniform of Khaki,
With given name of William Carter,
From Hastings, was charged
November 4 with fraud - appearing
Before the Bench at Eastbourne.

Mr Carter, in receipt of shirts,
And money - given him by a lady
Of Groombridge - a Mrs Done -
Who also gave him food
And a bath chair to use.

The ‘wounded’ man also gained
Money for cigarettes, from a kindly
Apartment Housekeeper, Mrs Knegle -
Being obtained by Mr Carter’s
Given story - that was to prove false.

The Khaki clad young man, told of
His story - being wounded at Mons,
In the leg and thigh - while a third
Bullet passed though his body.

A Police surgeon Dr James Adams,
Made examination of him to find
No such wounds – the young man
Simply tied a bandage about his leg.

Mr Carter had created a bloody mark
In representation of wounds –
To add to this effect, he gained
Crutches, from a Red Cross Nurse.

By such deceit the sentence given
Was for six months hard labour.
Likely return to army for Mr Carter,
Remained unstated and unclear.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Bogus Wounded Soldier. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 5 Nov. p.3. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11208689/Daily-Telegraph-November-5-1914.html [Accessed: 5 November 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 5 November 2014). 



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