Friday, 7 August 2015

Poem ~ Captain Becomes Private - Saturday, 7 August 1915


Impression sketch of Captain Hugh Sale Smart - by Jamie. See original at: http://ww1geek.com/2012/10/15/thomas-hardy-of-festubert/

The strange disappearance
Of Captain H. S. Smart, came
About his taking leave when
He vanished; December 1914.

Captain Smart was attached
To Khyber Rifles, 53 Sikhs -
In failing to rejoin his unit; all
Queries to find him failed.

Some six months later,
Dated 4 June, notification
Was restated on 6 August
In the London Gazette.

This cancelled removal
Of this Captain Smart's
Service - various events
Had led to his resurface.

Having reached rank
Of Captain, August 1914,
Hugh Sale Smart in 1905
Had gained commission
As a Second Lieutenant.

Then aged 30, this was
With Regiment South
Staffordshires - in 1907 he
Transferred to Indian Army.

By his actions, in making
December disappearance,
He achieved his desire
To fight on the frontline.

In Britain under the name
Of Thomas Hardy, joined
2nd Battalion Queen's
Royal West Surrey's.

Under this pseudonym
Smart, acting as a private,
Reached France to fight
Taking part at Festubert.

In maneuvers on 17 May
1915, he was seen to take
Gallant steps - this resulted
In his being killed in action.

Had he lived, Smart would
Have gained Distinguised
Conduct medal in the field -
A review was undertaken.

The Army Council, along
With Secretary of State
For India requested Smart
As Captain be reinstated.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915 Disappearance of an Indian Officer - Enlisted as Private  - Killed at Festubert. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 7 August. P.7. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11780911/Daily-Telegraph-August-7-1915.html [Accessed: 7 August 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 7 August 2015). 



#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1IndianArmy

No comments:

Post a Comment