The Blonde under
Ariel attack - sketch by
Jamie. From an original
image by E.S.Hodgson For The Graphic. March 27 1915. An original image can be
seen at:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/AEROPLANE-ATTACK-STEAMER-BLONDE-ZEPPELINS/dp/B0053WKH80
With many merchant ships about seas,
Came an
event of chase and avoidance,
Between a
Taube and the steamer Blonde.
At the time the ship was in the vicinity
Of 3 miles
off the North Foreland - moving
About the
coast, off Margate and Ramsgate.
Mr Reoch, the
second mate was on duty
Around10.30 a.m.
on the bridge - when
The fellowManning the wheel, called him over.
The fellowManning the wheel, called him over.
They both
observed, as a shape of aeroplane
Came
towards them,moving at some speed.
The craft
slow as it neared the boat and they
Saw on its
side the sign of an Iron Cross -
A German
craft - quite plainly they looked
At two pilots, seated side by side; the two
On the
boat regarded the two in the air.
The boat's alarm was raised as the plane
Encircled
the ship - Captain Milne came
Atop with all
hands called up to deck -
One able
seaman, Henry Chessnell, was
Then in his berth
- despite having been
Unwell, he rushed
to join the crew on deck.
The pilot
of the Taube used the craft's
Ability at
500 feet above their target -
First one
then another bomb dropped
Within
short feet of the stern - one
After another
blew the sea with reaction
To shudder
the hull of steamer Blonde.
With the
Blonde's siren raised at full
Sound, was hope to attract other vessels
In the
area. At the helm Captain Milne
Ordered
quick action and with great skill
The
steamer moved half to starboard,
Then the
engines kicked into top speed.
Now the
steamer moved at a high rate
To drive
into a circular course - to disable
The Taube
pilots ability in getting a good
Bombing
position - another attempt made
To drop
bombs on the ship hit the water -
20 feet beyond
bows without any harm.
Roused
Germans, having failed twice,
Were
determined still to make a hit.
The pilot
manoeuvred down low -
Enabling
the crew to see their faces.
Finally
the fifth bomb came, again fell
Safely at
a distance from the starboard.
Able
Seaman Chessnell had clung
Tightly to
an edge with terror - shouted
Words of
the crew had raised, as ship's
Siren screamed.
The deck beneath
Him ached
and shuddered - at speed
He gaped at the craft, that dip about -
Fear gripped Able Seaman Chessnell.
With their
supply of bombs dropped,
The Taube
turned and at some velocity
Departed
the area - then, with normality
Back, the
heightened crew loudly debated
The event,
as their Captain Milne sighed.
With the affair over, the crew went back
To their
duty, as Able Seaman Chessnell
Went back
to his berth, shaken - his face
Pale and
grey. In concern for the ailing
Man, the
Chief mate visited him over
A number
of hours, to see how he was.
Henry
Chessnell, a vague look in his
Eyes, confessed
how the event of the
German
bombs had put him on edge -
With hours of
sleep the ill man awoke.
In need of
air he went atop - as he took
Breaths, in a look out to sea, he collapsed.
Despite
the fellow crew rushing to assist
Him, Henry
Chessnell died within minutes -
A medical officer
told an inquiry at South
Shields, the man had suffered some days
With ill
feeling - that on examination found
He had a 'fatty
degeneration of the heart.'
The jury
returned the verdict, how that
Able
Seaman Henry Chessnell had died
Of terrible shock, resulting from the assault
On the
Steamer - which had accelerated
The
current condition of the man's heart.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Death
from Aeroplane Shock. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 19 Mar. P.7. Col.5. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11480912/Daily-Telegraph-March-19-1915.html
[Accessed: 19 March 2015].
Anon.,1915. Bomb Droppers Outwitted. Horowhenua
Chronicle, [online]
05 May.
P.2. Available at:
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=HC19150503.2.11
[Accessed: 19 March 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 19 March 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Kent
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