Saturday, 18 July 2015

Poem ~ Hoax Acid Bombs - Sunday, 18 July 1915



Source: File: The American Machinist logo.jpg. A popular American trade magazine published since 1877. The Original can be seen at: http://blacksmithandmachineshop.com/American-Machinist-1884-pg1-and-16.html 
[Accessed:  18 July 2015].

An unauthorized advertisement,
Came to light from 'American Machinist'-
Having been quoted about
The United States that related
A supposed new, brutal explosive.

Originating on May 6 1915, from
The Cleveland Automatic Machine Company,
Finally reaching attention
Of His Majesty's Government
With explosive effects description.

The wording of the supposed
Weapon, states how this is material is made
Of High tensile strength,
To fracture into tiny pieces,
With the shells final explosion.

Shared with shrapnel shell,
the fuse timer is the same, but the difference
Is within the large cavity
Are two explosive acids, any
Wounds caused lead to  agony
Of a terrible death, after 4 hours.

Without any immediate attention,
The advertisement claimed that conditions
In the trenches, do not allow
Any medical treatment within
The allotted time span - then goes
On to claim that wounds be cauterised.

This action should be immediate
Either to the body or head, or if on any limbs
Amputation would be course -
As there is no apparent antidote
That can counteract the poison, once
The victim has been hit by this explosive.

The American Machinist advert
States, that unlike regular shrapnel wounds,
With fragments or shrapnel
Balls, wounds are believed not
Lethal to muscle unlike the acid bomb.

The false bizarre advertisement
Published independently has no grounding
With intent to give false
Impressions - his majesty's
Government issued denial that
No such weapon had been considered.

 by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. American Shells - A Bogus Advertisement. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 17 July. P.10. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11732107/Daily-Telegraph-July-17-1915.html [Accessed: 18 July 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 18 July 2015). 



#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1America

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