Monday, 21 September 2015

Poem ~ Belgium Youth: Photo Spy? - Tuesday, 21 September 1915


Map of London Defences 1915 - by Jamie. See original at:
http://www.ww1homedefence.webeden.co.uk/london-aa-defence-

An ebook of 'The Defence of London' can be found at:
https://archive.org/details/defenceoflondon100rawluoft

As security on home front
Continued with alertness
To suspicious activity - one
Incident occurred to involve
A Belgium and a Gun Station.

On a Saturday, dated 18
September 1915, a young
Bank clerk, took a trip out
From his London lodgings -
At the Morley Hotel, Strand.

Later arriving at a military
Installation, somewhere
In the vicinity of London -
George Waltjens walked,
On the Saturday afternoon.

Among the Royal Marine
Artillery Crew on duty,
Gunner Dicks observed
The civilian youth lift up
A camera, to take a photo.

With his obvious subject
As the Gun Station, Dicks
Alerted a sentry, who took
Immediate action, to arrest
Young George Waltjens. 

Under arrest, the clerk
Was conveyed to civil
Police - there followed
His court appearance,
At Bow Street Station.

With the only evidence
Given by Gunner Dicks,
The charge was taking
A photo without getting
Any naval permission.

Magistrate Mr Hopkins
Took the matter seriously.
Walter spoke in broken
English; he did not realise
He had done any wrong.

Mr Hopkins interrupted
Him to say that this would
Not do - with result that
Young George Waltjens,
Was remanded in custody.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Gun Station Photographs. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 21 September. P.10. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11869525/Daily-Telegraph-September-21-1915.html [Accessed: 21 September 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 21 September 2015). 



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

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