Telegraphist,
Albert James Dunn,
With the Horse
Guards Post Office,
On Saturday was
at the Embankment.
With a little
time to make a break,
He had a bag of
food he fed
To the birds, about the water.
An incongruous
sight caught his eye.
A soldier, who
turned out to be
Private Patrick
Kerr of 4th Battalion
Of the Royal
Dublin Fusiliers - was
In chase of a man
- waving a bayonet
Sword. He lost the
pursuit as the man
Jumped safely
onto a tramcar.
Still fiercely clutching
the weapon,
Private Kerr walked
to Albert Dunn,
In demand to know what he was up
To - From his manner
the telegraphist
Could tell he had
been drinking.
Keeping calm, Dunn
proceeded
To humour the
drunken soldier.
At this point,
Dunn screwed
Up the empty
paper bag, to throw
It into the river
- agitated by this
Private Kerr in
sudden excitement,
Grabbed his arm,
declaring that
He was a German
spy - between
Them a sudden struggle
started.
Making a bayonet
swipe at Dunn,
The blade cut
into his uniform,
Causing a slight
abdomen wound.
Pushing away the
attacker, Dunn
Ran, chased by
the armed man.
Police Constable
522 E strolling
On his duty,
about the Embankment,
Heard shouts, to
see two soldiers
Running towards
him - one chased
By another waving what looked
Like a sword - PC
522 E drew
His truncheon, then clashed
With the armed
soldier - with
Truncheon against
sword, to try
And knock it from
his hand.
In failing this
he grabbed hold
Of the man's
wrist, twisting
His arm till he
dropped the blade.
Kerr, excited and
agitated when
His arrest was finally
declared,
Said he felt his
actions were
For his country, fighting a spy.
Monday 15 March, saw
the event
Unfold at Bow
Street Police Court,
With charge of
assault raised.
The Magistrate
Graham Campbell,
Heard how Kerr
had arrived in
London on Friday,
from Scotland.
About that time
Kerr had too
Much to drink. At the
nearby station
Of Charing Cross, Kerr then got in
A conversation with
a foreigner -
To soon believe a link
between him
And the Soldier
feeding the birds.
Seeing how the
man had thrown
Something into
the river, Private
Kerr wanted to
stop him - but had
Not intended to
cause any harm.
Called to speak
was an officer
Of Private Kerr’s
regiment.
The officer said
he had enlisted
19 January, but
had been absent
Without leave since
5th, of current
Month. In defence
Kerr said he had
Been to Scotland
to visit his ill wife -
Declaring anxiety
to reach the front;
He wanted to get into the trenches.
The magistrate
concluded how
Private Kerr, being so under
Influence of
drink, did not know
What he was doing - in this matter
Private Kerr was sentenced
To six weeks hard
labour.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Bayonet
v Truncheon - Scene on the Embankment. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 16 Mar. P.4. Col.5. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11471524/Daily-Telegraph-March-16-1915.html
[Accessed: 16 March 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 16 March 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1London
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