Source: File: The
bridge between Vanboro, Maine, and St. Croix.jpg, 2014. Werner Horn's St. Croix
bridge bombing in WW I happened 100 years ago today (Submitted by Gregg Centre
for the Study of War and Society) Posted: Feb 02, 2015 1:02 PM AT. 3 February
1915. [online] Available at:<http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/werner-horn-s-st-croix-bridge-bombing-in-ww-i-happened-100-years-ago-today-1.2940299>
[Accessed: 3 February 2015].
Across major cities of America, 1915 -
To include Chicago, New York and Boston,
Were thousands of young men - disaffected
Germans - leaving their jobs, in their desire
To return to Germany and join the army
Of their homeland to fight the war.
They found they could not gain any sea
Passage - such men across United States
Began to lose their initial eager enthusiasm,
To support the Kaiser - decided to remain -
And wait - hoping for any kind of change.
One man of German nationality,
By name of Werner Von Horn, spent
Weeks of winter residing In New York.
He stood out on street corners to lecture
Views on German doctrines of culture –
His intention to gain support, from fellow
Nationals, to unite in forming an attack -
The target was Vancouver in Canada.
A telegram of 2 February provided
Information that In New Brunswick a rail
Bridge over the St Croix River - for Canadian
Pacific Rail lines was blown - the cause
Was found to be dynamite charges.
On the American side, an arrest was
To made of Werner Horn - the German
Who claimed to be an officer, in the Kaiser’s
Army - the five foot eleven, 37 year old man,
Admitted to using the dynamite - he had
Acquired on the Canadian border side.
The reason he gave for destruction
Was that his country was at war with
Canada – who was acting as ally of Britain –
He claimed no extrication, under United
States law was possible, as his actions
Were entirely a political offence.
An authorised official report, issued
From Montreal - stated that the Canadian
Pacific Railway bridge of Vanceboro, gained
Only slight damage - this would
not stop
Transportation of war materials - trains
Without engines, could still cross.
For any resident American Germans,
That may have tried some kind of acting out
Of aggression, the Canadian authorities were
Now alert - aware of movements of their
disaffection.
As in the prevention of Fenian raids of 1870s,
They would monitor them – a result was an
Increased patrols along frontiers.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Dynamite Outrage – Canadian
Pacific – Bridge Blown Up. The Daily Telegraph,
[online] 3 Feb. p.10. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11380300/Daily-Telegraph-February-3-1915.html [Accessed:
3 February 2015].
Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter]
(Personal communication, 23 February 2015).
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