Poem ~ Passing of a Field Marshall - Thursday, 19 November 1914

 

Source: File: Lord Earl Roberts.jpg, 2014. From Dreaming of cold tea. [online] (updated December 4 2014)  Available at: <http://www.frankcrawshaw.uk/4-12-1914-dreaming-of-cold-tea/>Accessed: 19th November 2014].

 
Over recent days,
Great coverage was given,

To who was seen
As a great military man,
Lord Earl Roberts -

After his sudden death,

On visiting frontline troops,

Of Indian Battalions.

Aged 82 with great career,

And experience, the Earl

Did not die in glorious battle -

But caught a sudden chill,

At St Omer on 14 November.

A man with many honours
And titles of 1^st Earl, Lord,

Field Marshall and others,

The man was also known
As Roberts of Kandahar -

The papers told the tale,

Of Lord Roberts long career.

The full name of the man

Frederick Sleigh Roberts

VC, KG, KP, GCB, GCSI,

OM, GCIE, KStJ, VD, PC -

Departed France in a coffin,

Draped with the Union Jack,

That held his cap and sword.

The casket, carried on a gun

Carriage, from the courtyard

House, was marked by

Cavalries and detachments,

Acting as guard of honour,

At his journey’s start.

From a small French church
Service, in bright sunlight,
The casket was conveyed,
To a motor ambulance.

A single plane,
Having protected
The procession, lifted
High into the sky.

In the distance, amid

Dark clouds, curved a double
Rainbow - circling the square,

The plane dipped its nose,

In a final salute –

With the last wreath placed

On the casket, the ambulance

Closed its doors and moved

Slowly away towards Boulogne.

At the French port the General’s

Coffin was carried on shoulders

Of British soldiers - and with

A guard of honour boarded

The ship, ‘Onward’ for Folkstone.

From Folkstone,

The Earl was taken to his home,

Of Ascot, for a private family

Ceremony - upon a gun carriage,

On which his son had died,

Fighting in South Africa.

Following two other services,

Came the day of the Lord’s

Funeral – instead of sovereign

Representation, the king would

Also attend – this act proved

A great tribute to the man -

As no recent monarch had

Attended a subject’s funeral.

The body of Earl Roberts,

Carried by special train,

From his home at Ascot,

To Charing Cross, London –
When the procession

Would leave at 10.30 a.m.

The route of his last journey,

Was to be the Strand,

Northumberland Avenue,

Victoria Embankment,

New Bridge Street,

Ludgate-circus, then onto

Ludgate Hill and St Paul’s.

After A Ceremony held by

Archbishop of Canterbury,

With the Bishop of London

And Dean of St Paul -

The decision was made

For Lord Roberts to rest,

Near his comrade Wolseley,

Along with Admiral Nelson.

To mark his passing,

Came an order,

Of the Education Committee,

That children of London

Schools, are to be

Taught the story,

Of Lord Earl Roberts.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Burial of Earl Roberts – Todays Ceremony – King to be Present at St Paul’s – Processional Route. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 19 Nov. p.9. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11232260/Daily-Telegraph-November-19-1914.html [Accessed: 19 November 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 19 November 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11232260/Daily-Telegraph-November-19-1914.htm

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