Poem ~ Marching on Their Stomachs - Monday, 1 March 1915

Source: File: A First World War British Red Cross ambulance.jpg, 2015. British Red Cross First World War. 1 March 1915. [online] Available at: <http://blogs.redcross.org.uk/tag/first-world-war/page/4/> [Accessed: 1 March 2015].

Taking place on 27 February,

At the very heart of London -

Was a march on Saturday,

Under the directive command

Of Colonel Broome Giles.

The Guildhall saw the men

Of British Red Cross Society,

To number 300, paraded -

After which they passed

Through the capital's streets.

Their route march took them

To Regents Park  - as they led

A motor field kitchen  - along

With five motor ambulances.

The sharp appearance of men

Made for much attention.

Undertaking drill in the park,

The Kitchen motor was then

Put to use for the first time -

Providing them with 'meat tea,'

Prepared on the march and drill.

A meal was served to the men

Making up to 300 servings

Of soup, roast potatoes, beef

And bread and butter  - to be

Finished with coffee and tea.

The motor field kitchen, being

Put to the test, was equipped

To cook and easily provide

Meals, for up to 100 at a time -

Even managing with the 300

Marching men in the park.

With those that had enlisted

Into the Red Cross City division,

Three detachments of men -

And a women's detachment-

Made convoys for the injured -

With 162 men gone to the front.

This Red Cross division, had

Dealth with transport of wounded

Within London  - and provided

Service to military authorities -

Assisting the officer's Hospital

At the Hall of Fismongers.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. City Red Cross – Motor Field Kitchen. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 01 Mar. p.5. Col.5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11432667/Daily-Telegraph-March-1-1915.html [Accessed: 01 March 2015].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 01 March 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11432667/Daily-Telegraph-March-1-1915.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1London