Following heavy action in Ypres,
A Sergeant of the Coldstream
Guards, arrived at Scarborough
Hospital for treatment. He told
Two tales - a German ruse,
By lingual ability, and a clever
Method of enemy signalling.
Within a localised operation,
The Guards held onto a certain
Trench - believed to be of some
Importance - therefore to cause
A threat of a bayonet attack.
The significance of the British
Officer’s name of George,
Played a part in his tale.
Within the height of the fight,
Was raised stern words,
Of a sudden command.
The voice in English called
‘Clear your trench George!’
In reaction to undertake
The given order, the officer
Witnessed how the speaker,
Was taken down before him;
The German fell at his feet.
The Injured Sergeant
Also told another tale,
Of a woman in the locality,
Who proved her treachery
To the English army.
Believed to be a Belgian,
The woman lived in a cottage,
That stood upon a hill, within
Sight of the German Lines.
Her method in assisting
The enemy, was to hang
Out washing every morning.
So all British reinforcement
Movement's, were indicated
Bu the washing's presence.
She pegged out two shirts,
To show how the English
Were short handed – if then
Every thing then went out
Onto the line, this indicated
The reserves had arrived.
In this realisation of a clever
Woman's signalling method,
This Belgian was arrested.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Fighting at Ypres – German
Soldier’s Ruse. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 1 Jan. P.10. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11393528/Daily-Telegraph-February-9-1915.html
[Accessed: 9 February 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 9 February 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary
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