Saturday, 31 January 2015

How deadly was poison gas of WW1?

An excellent article (with photos) on the use and effects of poison gas in WW1.

30 January 2015
By Marek PruszewiczBBC World Service

@IWM ART 1460
American soldiers in gas masks

Poem ~ Battle of Dogger Bank - Sunday 31 January 1915


Source: File: German battlecruisers.jpg, 2015. (L - R) Derfflinger, Moltke and Seydlitz en route to Dogger Bank.. [online] Available at: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dogger_Bank_%281915%29> [Accessed: 31 January 2015].

Source: File: Petty Officer Stoker ­Edward ­Attwood.jpg, 2015. Petty Officer Stoker ­Edward ­Attwood was one of the first men killed at the Battle of Dogger Bank in the North Sea on 24 January 1915. [online] Available at: <http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/jul/07/readers-favourite-photographs-songs-recipes> [Accessed: 31 January 2015].

From glaciated debris, a moraine had formed,
In the Pleistocene ages  - with time, a period
Of glaciations and the melting of ice, carried
Transported rocks and silt sized glacial flour -
Within the undulations of time, to make a low
Landmass above the sea, to form an open land bank. 

That spreading space between a smaller and
Larger land mass, where early people roamed,
Until the ice age ended - with greatest of floods -
To spill across the moraine, makes an island,
To be named by mankind as England - as that
Sunken landmass of Doggerland, became Dogger Bank.

Moving rapidly through time, over one thousand
Nine hundred and fifteen years ahead - formed
By the Western Calendar  - opened up another
Human war of civilized lands - Then in advanced
Stages of machine led conflict - as their craft
Took to the sea, to trespass the waters of Dogger Bank.

With the submarine strategy of German navy,
Having been suppressed  - a further tactic
To hit the British Isles, came by an attack
Onto three coastal towns, on 16 December,
Under an attack of shells left civilians dead.
The Germans having taken their path by Dogger Bank.

With many navel battles having taken place,
And acts by German craft, setting on the Island
Of the British, brought attacks of coastal areas -
Forced the need of naval reconnaissance
Off the East coast of England - keeping watch,
For further enemy approach of North Sea's Dogger Bank.

Admiral Eckermann, promoted to Vice Admiral,
Being chief of staff to German High Seas Fleet,
Desired an operation to take on the British Fleet.
Yet the man in command, Admiral Ingenohi -
Disagreed, with the SMS Von der Tann out
Of action for dry-dock maintenance - their fastest
A well-armed turbined warship. On Eckermann's
Continued Insistence, Admiral Hipper was sent to Dogger Bank.

A capture of a codebook, gained by Russian forces,
Led to shared information with their British allies.
The book's contents opened up an ability to decode
Enemy radio traffic, to learn how Admiral Hipper
Had begun the process for a new coastal raid.
Five battle crafts, light cruisers with destroyers
Moved south ready for Hipper and his ships.
The British fleet waited above the submerged Dogger Bank.

A German fleet Led by Seydlitz, and followed
By Derfflinger, Moltke and Blücher - along with
Light cruisers Rostock, Kolberg - while Stralsund
And Graudenz led the forward screen, nineteen
Torpedo boats, formed half-flotilla, to each light
Cruiser - a fierce German formation moved to Dogger Bank.

Back in Room 40 enemy wireless messages
Were intercepted - the precise detailed plans
Of Hipper could not be made, but an operation
Was heading for the East Coast and North Sea.
English fleet acted quickly with a rendezvous
of Commodore Tyrwhitt's Harwich Force, came
Moore's 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron, second
Light Cruiser Squadron of Goodenough - and
Beatty's 1st Battlecruiser Squadron - to meet
8 a.m. 24 January - 30 miles north of the Dogger Bank.

By 8:15 a.m. the enemy Kolberg spotted Aurora
Of Harwich Force - who sent out their searchlight.
A reply of two hits began retaliation - while Hipper
Turned his cruisers into the fire - Northwest saw
A signal of smoke of British warships - Blücher
At the rear, fired on a light cruiser and destroyers,
Coming from the stern - to start the battle of Dogger Bank.

Hipper's battle cruisers were in poor position
To move south to retreat - limited by their speed.
The British steaming ability, soon made gains -
As Blücher found herself under fire from Lion, then
Tiger and Princess Royal made hits - by 10:09 a.m.
German fire turned on Lion, to be hit on waterline,
With another on its forward turret, to stop its gun.
Now sea war raged in waters, that lay above Dogger Bank.

The New Zealand, now in range of Blücher, made
Fire. 10:35 and the German force was all in range
Of British ships -11:00 and Blücher was battered
By heavy shelling - Moltke, Derfflinger and Seydlitz
Made hits on Lion. At 11:48 Indomitable had arrived,
With Beatty's orders to destroy Blücher - that was
Now on fire and listing to port, above the waters of Dogger Bank.

Within Blücher's badly hit bulk - started the end.
A survivor stated how the shells took stokehold,
With half empty bunkers of coal alight - inside
The engine room, a shell sprayed oil - to make
Flames of green and blue - an explosion from
Air pressure in the confined space, sent a great
Explosion; men amid machines would meet death.
Now it was inevitable that Blücher would sink in Dogger Bank.

Reports of U-boats ahead forced British evasive
Movements, allowing German ships to make distance.
Beatty, in the damaged Lion, gave cruisers orders
To hit enemy’s rear- but signals confused they still
Set on Blücher - the ship fought to repulse cruisers.
Then Aurora made two hits with torpedoes - all her
Guns silenced, except the rear mount - now at point
Blank, seven more torpedoes bit into the Blücher -
To capsize - like ants the crew scrambled into sea of Dogger Bank.

With Blücher sinking, British destroyers moved
To rescue survivors - yet a Zeppelin believing
The Blücher to be British, dropped bombs onto
The destroyers who had to withdraw - among
The 1,200 crew, only 234 lived along with their
Captain Erdmann - the Blücher concentration had
Allowed battle cruisers to escape - the Derfflinger
Seydlitz, and Moltke were to assist the Blücher,
But the flagship's severe damage left her to sink in Dogger Bank.

by Jamie Mann.


Source: File: Battle of Dogger Bank (1915) Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dogger_Bank_%281915%29> Accessed: 31 January 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 31 January 2015). 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dogger_Bank_%281915%29


#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered 

Friday, 30 January 2015

Poem ~ Torquay: Sentry Kills Officers - Saturday, 30 January 1915



29 January: County Coroner, Sidney Hacker
Resumed an inquest continued in Torquay,
With regard to the murders of two officers -
Lieutenant Arthur Ernest Simpson, of the
Army Service Corps – a London Solicitor
And Sub-Lieutenant Bertram Welby Hart,
Of the Royal Naval Air Service. Both men
On Sunday 24 January, arrived in Torquay:
Under strange conditions they were killed.

The two men were travelling in a car from
Plymouth to Torquay - the car being driven
By Mr Harold Murton, a Marconi wireless
Engineer of St John’s Wood – it was dark
As they drove onto Torquay’s sea front
Road, to be halted by sentries’ - Territorial
Cyclists, Private Harris and Private Pullman.
This action resulted in sudden altercation
With the sentries - a rifle held by one man
Was fired - Lieutenant Hart was shot dead;
As Lieutenant Simpson gained a fatal wound.

Private Harris was consequently charged
With causing their death - Private Pullman
Adding and abetting – the driver though
Disputed this - to give evidence that a shot
Came alone from the rifle of Private Pullman,
With whom Lieutenant Hart had argued.

Viewpoint one: the driver of the motor; Murton

Being recalled on 29 January the driver,
Mr Murton, confirmed his belief how Pullman
And Hart were standing around 6 feet apart,
As a shot was fired. With the car stopped,
No words of ill language was then used.

But as the encounter became heated, both
Witness and officers used specific words.
While a shot was fired Lieutenant Simpson
Did not attempt to add to the argument.
The wound that Simpson gained was a bullet
To the left armpit - he later died within a few
Minutes of reaching the nearest hospital.

Viewpoint two: a Policeman arrives; Muridge

A crowd had gathered as Police Constable
Mugridge arrived – with the naval officer
And Private Pullman arguing, the police
Officer pushed into the crowd - there was
A shot and Lieutenant Hart fell down dead.

Private Harris was arrested and taken away
To the police station, confessing to his rifle
Being fired - but he stated it was an accident.
The people who stood behind him had  then
Knocked his arm and gun went off  - about 
The car were up to 200 people, some of
Them stood right next to the two sentries.

Viewpoint three:soldier beside sentries;Botterill

A Private Botterill, who had stood between
The sentries, said a disagreement ensued
Between Private Harris and Lieutenant Hart -
Both of the sentries held their rifles at ready -
LH said to H 'Cant you see, I am a British
Naval officer. Here is my number - I have
Letters to prove I am Sub-Lieutenant Hart.’

P H replied discourteous, 'I don’t want
To see any letters. Stand there and wait
Till my Colour sergeant comes.’ P H later
Added ‘Shut up your yarn.’ L H replied
‘Don’t talk to me like that. Do you know
To whom you are talking? That you are
Talking to your superior officer.'

Two Seconds later the rifle was fired –
A spark came from P H rifle L H fell dead -
Private Botterill asked why he had done
That - PH replayed, 'I wont stand arguing
The point.’ The crowd moved in and P H
Was heard to claim, it was an accident.

Viewpoint four: a civilian in the crowd: Lowe

Charles William Lowe, an electrician, saw
That as the sentries stopped the car the
Two officers asked, 'on whose orders?'
The sentries said that their orders were
To stop all cars on the road between times
Of seven and eleven p.m. - L H asked for
The name of the captain giving orders -
Which sentries had then supplied him.

Walking to the back of the halted car,
L H Commented, 'fine thin to be stopped
On the highway when one is fighting for
The country.' – the naval officer was heard
To state, ‘I am Lieutenant Thompson and
This is my friend Lieutenant Simpson.’

Searching the car, the sentries examined
Their numbers, but remained unsatisfied,
As car number was written on cardboard.
Officers asked if they were to be there
All night – Private Pullman said they had
To wait for their colour sergeant to arrive.

Getting back in the car and then out again
Lieutenant Hart was agitated and moved
Towards Pullman, standing before the car.
Then the rifle was fired - Lieutenant Hart
Fell  -was heard to say, 'my God, I’m shot.'
The inquiry was to continue on weds next.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Torquay Tragedy – two Officers Shot - Resumed Inquest. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 30 Jan. P.3. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11372896/Daily-Telegraph-January-30-1915.html [Accessed: 30 January 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 30 January 2015). 



#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered

Thursday, 29 January 2015

Poem ~ The Muddy Affairs of Cuinchy - Friday, 29 January 1915


Source: File: Map Neuve Chapelle to La Bassee, 1915.jpg, 2015. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_La_Bassée#mediaviewer/File:Neuve_Chapelle_to_La_Bassee,_1915.jpg> [Accessed: 29 January 2015].

Source: File: Map of British Line, 1915.jpg, 2015. George's War Letters. The First World War seen through the letters of George Power- 25th January 1915. [online] Available at: <http://firstwarlettersofgeorge.com/2015/01/25/gwl-25th-january-1915/George's War Letters> [Accessed: 29 January 2015].


Between La Bassée and Givenchy,
The land where a battle was underway,
Was on a sea of mud - the first largest
Engagement believed to be of 1915.
Two months of down pouring rain,
Had turned the ground into slough
Of complete despondency – a trough
Of practically impossible movement.

With only La Bassée – Bethune Road
Allowing any kind of solid ground,
The Germans dashed across the
Divide - moving quickly and with force
Towards unsupported British trenches,
Forcing those who manned the line,
To fall back faced with enemy rush.

Assisted by 7th pioneer detachments,
The lead of the attack had been given
To the 56 Prussian Infantry regiment -
Rhine-Landers, who of good humour
Had in peace been stationed at fortress
Of Wesel - by some prisoner’s words,
The fighting had made its toll on the 56th.

With trenches to the right evacuated,
The British on the left now observed
Men falling back - as the Germans
Took the adjacent trenches - to avoid
Being driven out, they too fell back -
The Germans had made all their gains.

The German spirit carried their soldiers,
Along the road to Givenchy, to occupy
A trench - to capture six British soldiers.
They moved on into the town - a strong
Company of 56th with twenty men from
7th Pioneers, with a lead of three officers.

Their support was made to hurry along
After them - being 5000 reservists, their
Task to secure ground rapidly covered.
Yet they had not bargained on every
Factor -13:00 hours a British regiment,
Had the order to retake lost trenches.

Ahead of them, was a morass of 300
Yards to objective – a trench – under
Great fire, they moved to be knee deep
In mud and water – an impossibility
To keep a line -Then they laid down,
Dodging bullets, to wait for followers
To free selves of the bog, to join them.

In this method of attack, the Germans
Were puzzled. Climbing from cover with
Bayonets to see men lying on the mud.
The enemy leapt back to cover - their
Anticipation of a new British method.
The result of the British counter attack
Was to retake the trench - to hold it
With a cost of many men falling – but
The advance of the Germans across
The Bethune Road, had failed for them.

With 400 men left on the road, the 56th
Prussian regiment was driven back. 
Reserves unable to get to their rescue.
British and French Infantry, attended
To those invaders that had made it to
Givenchy - gaining many prisoners
With wounds to head and upper body.

The Germans advanced into the town,
Only to encounter front facing British fire.
With an ineffective stand, they fell back
To the trench they had occupied, outside
The town - the British now in the houses, 
Fired from all the ground floor windows.

Under exposure, the German wounded
Fell - hopelessly trying to hold the trench -
Waiting for support, but the British fired
Down on them, to make the trench defence
Untenable - with only one officer of three
Left, he gave up with the remainder of men.

Later at the base hospital, on a small ward,
Three men wounded in the fight, lay side
By side. In the centre a corporal of the 56th 
Prussian, either side of him an Irish soldier  -
One of them in recognition of the Corporal. 

During the day's fighting, the Irishman
Had marked the corporal out with others -
Sniping at the British from a tree clump
On the La Bassée Road - in giving warning
The Corporal was wounded and captured.

On arrival at the hospital, he spoke in good
English - to completely forget the language,
During the night - unable to answer questions.
The fact being that the Prussian and Irishman
Recognised each other from the battlefield.

The Irishman knew that the German knew,
He knew him, to be an efficient clever sniper -
So he told his story to visitors, quite aware
The German pretended to be asleep - yet he
Listens. The corporal replied to questions
From hospital staff, asking how he is -'Nein'
He replies, wary of what happens to snipers.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. The Fighting at La Bassée - British Heroism - Ingenious Manoeuvring. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 29 Jan. P.9. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11372880/Daily-Telegraph-January-29-1915.html [Accessed: 29 January 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 29 January 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11372880/Daily-Telegraph-January-29-1915.html


#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered