Poem ~ Civil and Soldier Travellers - Saturday, 31 July 1915

Impression sketch of a crowd saying goodbye to soldiers leaving Victoria Station in London, during World War I - by Jamie. See the originals at: http://www.vintag.es/2013/10/old-photos-of-world-war-i-in-1915.html#ixzz3hrtT2pAq

One war, like no other,

Brought social changes

In re-evaluations,

Of familiar institutions.

In just barely a year,

From one mans act,

By an assassination

Of some archduke.

In passage of slow days,

Came changed views -

As in one time of day

Sight of men in khaki.,

Who made up numbers

Of railway passengers,

Would have caused

A great speculation -

To become a regular

Presence - to cause

No more attention

Than city passengers.

Numbers of soldiers

Would then regularly

Outnumber others -

All railway stations.,

Became places akin

To military camps;

Boys carried bags as

Women took tickets.

All ordinary type folk,

Rubbed shoulders

Of men, who'd seen

War’s vicious effects.

Dust of western front,

Was likely to catch

On civilian clothing -

With foreign odours.

Hands held less books

To favour newspapers -

Becoming more norm

In the traveller's hands.

Some camaraderie,

Was almost tangible -

With man to man and

Chivalry toward woman.

Depiction of that state

Described as 'wonderful'

The changes to be seen

Over August holidays.

Stereotypes of men

Aboard trains, wrapped

In self, with new eyes

Open civility to those.,

Once disregarded -

While the tedium for

Tedious troop trips,

Relieved by a word.,

In honest good cheer -

While those deserved

Of sympathy, would be

Newly enlisted youth.

Youth in trepidation,

To report to stations -

New in dedicating one

Life to country's call.

Such train encounters,

Is call essential helping-

Hand to such heroes -

As them in the making.

By example, people may

Have given cheer, as in

Seasoned travellers,

Commercial businessmen.,

In weekly moves between

From Leeds, Manchester,

Southwards - might buy

Raw recruits a cup of tea.

One belief given is for

The fallacy that soldiers

All need fags  - as many

Did not actually smoke -

Prompting awareness

Of soldierly cultivation;

Many a man came from

Intelligent professions -

Deserved of intelligent

Conversations - to state

The sober behaviours

Of men turning to soldiers.

In rare drunk behaviour

The chivalrous recruit,

Can be seen to support

Women and children.

Men such as these,

Will ask permission

Of women to smoke

In such compartments.

Although tired from

Marching, they will easily

Stand throughout long

Journeys to free a seat.

A recruit's habit aboard

Is help little ones climb

Or leave their carriages

Additionally these youth.,

Finding dining cars

Might be devoid of food

Will easily resign selves

To their fate of hunger.

Thus is one articles hope

In influencing civilian

Bank holiday travellers

Of the khaki presence

How to support these

Men - not as hooligans

But simply splendid men

Journeying their way.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Troops in Trains  - Civilian Interest. The Daily Telegraph, [online]  31 July. P.10. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11773708/Daily-Telegraph-July-31-1915.html [Accessed: 31 July 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 31 July 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11773708/Daily-Telegraph-July-31-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Trains

Poem ~ A Break From Bombs - Friday, 30 July 1915

Source: File: Woolwich Royal Arsenal.jpg. World War One: Royal Arsenal's battle to feed the guns By Greig Watson BBC News, 5 June 2014. The Original can be seen at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26272844 [Accessed:  30 July 2015].

With summer's seasons

Of holidays in full swing

Despite wartime - morale

Set to raise the Woolwich

Royal Arsenal workers.

With the August bank

Holiday set to combine

The traditional 'beano

Day,' granted by royal

Warrant of George III.

The Annual Beanfest

Day, commemorated

This king’s visit - 6 July

1773 - this had existed

Until Edwardian years.

Reinstated, the July

Day combined with

2 August - Sunday

In-between made for

Longest rest of war.

Out of the 40,000,

Some 3,000 would be

Still on duty, to carry

Out maintenance for

One years constant run.

While this great needed

Overhaul of well used

ammunition apparatus

is made, the workers will

Likely rest in their gardens.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Woolwich Arsenal Holiday. The Daily Telegraph, [online]  29 July. P.10. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11744429/Daily-Telegraph-July-29-1915.html [Accessed: 30 July 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 30 July 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11744429/Daily-Telegraph-July-29-1915.html

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

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Poem ~ Anzac Jacka - Thursday, 29 July 1915

Impression sketch of Lance Corporal Albert Jacka - by Jamie. See the originals at: http://www.theage.com.au/news/book-reviews/jacka-vc-australian-hero/2006/09/08/1157222319230.html

In the Victoria province of Australia,

Loving parents, Elizabeth and Nathanial Jacka

Moved their children of seven, from

A dairy far family of Winchelsea -

To a new life of Wedderbum.

Of their seven children the fourth,

Albert, was five at the time - after school

He joined he father as haulage

Contractor – all seemed set

Until aged 21, a war broke.

Albert Jacka, in support of home

Country, joined the AIF September 1914.

Now Private Jacka in 14^th Battalion,

Was  trained at Broadmeadows

Camp; land given by a patriot.

The country of Turkey, declaring

Allegiance to Germany, sent 14^th Battalion

To Egypt port of Alexandria - After

Ten more weeks of training Jacka

Merged with New Zealanders.

Albert Jacka having reached rank

Of Lance Corporal - somewhere in process

In their training - was then sent
With fellow troops out from
Egypt to the Dardenelles.

With the original intention for them,

To defend the Suez Canal, New orders came

For the New Zealand and Australian

Division; Private Jacka joined

The Gallipoli campaign.

Anzac Lance Corporal Jacka,

In defence of the New Zealand & Australian

Trenches, known as Courtney’s Post,

with other men was under orders

To guard their given position.

The Turkish commanders,

Faced with the established line of Anzacs

From their cove landings, planned out

A push off peninsula; a plan made

For 19 May, with new men.

German leader Kiazim Pasha,

Of all the Turkish forces, had planned attack

Prior to daybreak - in order to drive

Anzacs from defences, back

Down to the sea’s edge.

Rising up a gentle slope

From the Turkish side, the Australian position

Was well covered by undergrowth -

Yet Turk's reached the trench

Edge to attack with bombs.

The hour before dawn -19 May -

The Turks attacked the anzac line to gain

A section at Courtney’s Post - Jacka

Fired out warning shots, waiting

For reinforcements arrival.

From his firing bay, Jacka

Saw two officers run forward from cover

Into the occupied trench in order

To drive out Turks - in process

Both officers were killed.

Another officer came up,

Lieutenant Crabbe, to the held position -

Jacka gave warning not to break

From cover - Crabbe asked

If he would take on Turks.

Yes, with support, was his

Reply – with three men the four of them

Took a corner as three were hit -

In forced retreat Lance Corporal

Jacka formed a new plan.

Alone, he tracked back

Through trenches behind Turks  - when

He was ready, another party

Jumped to action, to throw

Bombs to distract Enemy.

In creation of noisy disturbance

And smoke, Jacka leapt up across open space

To jump among the Turks - Jacka stood

Face to face with enemy - he shot

Five and bayoneted two more.

The remainder of the Turkish fled

The Anzac thrilled and flushed with adrenalin,

As Lieutenant Crabbe and others

Reached him - Jacka exclaimed,

How he got ‘the beggers.’

By witness of an officer's

Recommendation, Lance Corporal Albert Jacka’s

Citation appeared in London Gazette;

For King’s Award of Victoria Cross,

For Bravery act on 19-20 May.

Lance Corporal Albert Jacka

Was then the first Australian to win Victoria Cross.

As reward, Jacka was to receive

A gold medal and £500 - given

In promise of Mr John Wren.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Australian V.C. Wins £500. The Daily Telegraph, [online]  29 July. P.10. Col.5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11744429/Daily-Telegraph-July-29-1915.html [Accessed: 29 July 2015].

Source: File: Albert Jacka. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Jacka> [Accessed: 29 July 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 29 July 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11744429/Daily-Telegraph-July-29-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Australia

Poem ~ Hooge - Wednesday, 28 July 1915

Impression sketch of Hooge Crater  - by Jamie. See the original at: http://www.ww1battlefields.co.uk/flanders/hooge.html

East of Ypres sat Hooge,

On a ridge called Bellwaerde -

Here was the home of a house

Chateau de Hooge, destined

To be in midst of a war.

From the Flemish quiet,

Of days where the chateau

Stood, erased in sad erosion -

To crumble down to dust,

Never to be rebuilt.

A decisive attack decided

To take place, about this area

In order to improve allied lines -

Construction of a mine, made

To be detonated at 7 p.m.

A Middlesex regiment lay

Opposite 126^th Wurtemburge

Regiment - backed by 66^th Artillery

Of German Forces – tensely

Waiting officer's signal.

Once the massive charge

Exploded, the infantry would

Rush ahead to gain occupation

Of the crater - at a distance

Platoons awaited action.

A Middlesex battalion, set

With bayonet fixed - reserve

Troops were readied in support -

The ground between them

And enemy, lay debris.

The hour shattered in

Sudden force as the earth

Flew - to throw men off their feet;

Melting German trenches

To dust, as spoilage fell.

A gaping space opened

Enemy’s neat breastwork

Out - smoke and dust emanated -

Wounded, with mainly dead

Germans lay all about.

In seconds, whistles

Blew and the Middlesex

Lifted into a smoldering inferno,

To meet stunned survivors;

With little resistance.

Bombers came after

The assault line, setting out

To progress - turned the crater

Into to allied defences, while

Bombers split into three.

Storming down three

Each trench path to drive

Back Germans that might still

Shelter; followed by soldiers,

Armed by fixed bayonets.

A gift of bombs aimed

In every dugout, only when

A traverse is made, is lobbed

Another - explosions are 

Followed by bayonets.

Such action needs

A flow of bomb supplies,

As the vulnerable bomber man,

Runs the risk of being hit,

Before he gets a target.

In an orchestra of this

Action-run-lob-halt-bayonet,

Agility is needed for progress,

Down any narrow spaces,

Of blocks and wounded.

Those bombers under

Lead of Lieutenant Erskine,

Who, taking part in operation

Came to defended dugout;

He used a pick to enter.

Hacking the roof in order

To throw a bomb, Lieutenant

Erskine had almost achived this

When a shot hit him down;

A fatal wound to his chest.

As daylight failed, action

Of bombing began to halt -

In retaliation, the minenwerfers

Woke, to toss high explosives

Into the occupied crater.

The minenwerfers named

Variously as ariel torpedoes

Gained more friendlier names;

As sausages and Rum-Jars,

In likeness to rum rations.

A night's bombardment

Continued to fade, with day

Counterattacks proving to be

Inadequate - with German

Reluctance to return.

With empathetic limits

To know the effects of loss

Of mates by a man's side - still

It seemed how the Tommy

Calmly kept to his duty.

An officer stopped, spoke

To one man at danger point

Asking how matters were going -

A reply of few aimed at them;

Unaware of any that did hit.

As replacements came,

To take over those exhausted

Troops - German shell batteries

Continued - parapets reversed,

And broken wire repositioned.

Hooge’s crater gave small

Extension to the allied front -

A stalemate was still held, as spits

Of counter attack against

Other counter attacks.

As activity settled back

Into routine, another salient,

South of Hooge, was hit by a mine

Knocked enemy’s hold - whose

Counter mine made no effect.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Attack at Hooge Position - Enemy Trench Mined - Daring Bomb Throwers. The Daily Telegraph, [online]  26 July. P.10. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11742053/Daily-Telegraph-July-26-1915.html [Accessed: 28 July 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 28 July 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11742053/Daily-Telegraph-July-26-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Hooge

Poem ~ German Lover's Lies - Tuesday, 27 July 1915

Impression sketch of a German Lover's Lies - by Jamie. 

In a lover's tale of lovers wronged -

In events of war and before -

Are as old as love itself; as of case

In London, on 21 June 1915.

Ivy Mooney in defence, entered

The witness box to state

How in November 1907, aged 19,

She worked in a teashop

On the strand, meeting her lover.

Adolph Goldschmidt, a German

And naturalised British

Subject - took Ivy out to dinners

And theatres, on her nights

Off - so a relationship deepened.

Ivy moved with Adolph to Staines,

To be together - here he

Told her he would marry her, but

First to wait till his post

Improved - for some eight years.,

Together - when on 21 June, Ivy

Mooney went to his flat

In Warrington Crescent - intent

In her purpose - aimed

A revolver and fired a bullet.

Charged with malicious intent,

Ivy pleaded not guilty -

As the prosecutor Adolph, denied

Any promise to marry

Or give her money for a operation.

Mr Justice Ivory, of Central

Criminal Court stated,

If her version of his treatment

Were true, it was to be

Expected of his nationality.

Such another lover’s tale in war,

Came to a conclusion;

For Ivy Mooney's attempt to hurt,

Led to verdict of not guilty.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Tea-Shop Girl Acquitted – Judge and German Behaviour. The Daily Telegraph, [online]  26 July. P.4. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11742053/Daily-Telegraph-July-26-1915.html [Accessed: 27 July 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 27 July 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11742053/Daily-Telegraph-July-26-1915.html

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

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

Poem ~ Women and White Feathers - Monday, 26 July 1915

Impression sketch of 'The White Feather: A Sketch of English Recruiting' - Arnold Bennett - by Jamie. See the original at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/5050/nicoletta-f-gullace/white-feather-girls-womens-militarism-in-uk

White Feather by Jamie Mann

A negative recruiting effect,

Led to the death of a one

Man aged 34 - a taxi driver,

Richard Charles Roberts.

Attempting to join the army,

In October 1914, Mr Roberts

Was told that he could not

Be taken, due to a weak heart.

Mrs Roberts told that her

Husband had been very lowly

Depressed afterwards - since

Having received many taunts.

These jibes had been directed

To him by amateur recruiters,

And reproaches of women -

A soldier relative added facts.

Mr Richard Robert's life had

Been made quite miserable -

From women, calling him

A coward, for not joining up.

Events finally and sadly came

To ahead, when this taxi driver

Of Shepherds Bush, faced

Two 'White Feather women.'

In middle of July, two random

Women of Maida-vale, then

Insulted him terribly - likely

Handing him white feathers.

Faced with this known symbol,

In suggesting his cowardice

Led to Mr Roberts suicide,

By self inflicted gun wounds.

Saturday 24 July, an Ealing
Inquest with Deputy Coroner,

Reginald Kemp for West

Middlesex, heard his remarks.

Strong words were directed

To women, having nothing

Better to do, than making life

Of such men unbearable.

Such men who did their duty

When nothing was known

About their circumstances;

Shame would fall on them.

This man, Richard Roberts,

Had been driven to his death,

In foolish active provocations,

By two women with feathers.

Such packs of silly women, in
Abominable scandalous acts

of taunting conduct, had need

To curb any future prevention.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. White Feather Women - Coroner's Strong Remarks. The Daily Telegraph, [online]  26 July. P.4. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11742053/Daily-Telegraph-July-26-1915.html [Accessed: 26 July 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 26 July 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11739275/Daily-Telegraph-July-23-1915.html

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

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