Impression
sketch of Captain Field taken prisoner alongside Captain Sutcliffe - by Jamie.
See original at: http://www.dnw.co.uk/auction-archive/catalogue-archive/lot.php?auction_id=73&lot_id=50170
An officer's letter published
By the Telegraph, prompted
A response from the mother
Of an involved officer.
The words of Mrs Sutcliffe
Reached the telegraph editor,
From her North Devon home,
Of Great Torrington.
The officer’s letter described
Tragedy of her son’s death -
That happened in a prisoner
Of war camp.
Captain Sutcliffe's death with
Major Fry and Captain Field;
The letter’s extract alluded
To death from typhus.
The first letter had said those
Who experience the dreadful
Environment of such camps
Can truly understand.
Captain Sutcliffe’s mother,
In stoic tones, was to write
Knowing how different their
Initial captivity had been.
Captain Sutcliffe had been
Taken prisoner at Landrecies-
All had been taken by train
To Aix la Chapelle.
While noting they travelled
By carriage of second class,
Until reaching Aix la Chapelle,
With no complaints.
With the train halted, a crowd
Gathered about the stationary
Carriage - holding men of Royal
Army Medical Corps.
One German officer turned
And address gathered crowd -
If they were civilian or military
Was not stated.
This officer was to prompt
Them to be a lynch mob;
'These are English who call
Selves Medical Corps.'
'They are just devils who do
Not attend German wounded
But put their eyes out - do as
You wish with them.'
Riled into vengeance, some
Orderlies were killed in cold
Blood; they turned attention
In same intent to get British
Officers, they were stopped
By another German officer,
To challenge barbarity.
To follow this Sutcliffe's
Mother knew of no more
Complaints, nor of their
War camp treatment.
by Jamie Mann.
For more detail regarding circumstances about Captain
Sutcliffe and other officers deaths, see: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=58458 Wittenberg
POW Camp 1914-1915
Anon.,1915 Soldier’s Mother’s Hope – death
During Duty. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 11 August. P.6. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11788147/Daily-Telegraph-August-11-1915.html
[Accessed: 11 August 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 12 August 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Prisonerof war
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