Wednesday, 23 September 2015

Poem ~ Bulgarian Army Emerges - Thursday, 23 September 1915



75mm Krupp guns in service in Bulgarian Army - by Jamie. See original at:
http://www.bulgarianartillery.it/bulgarian%20artillery%201/Krupp%2075mm%201903.htm

Under constitutional Monarchy,
Since 1908, the kingdom of Bulgaria
Had raked up two wars by time
Of declaration of another war -
In August 1914.

In recovery of the Balkan wars
Of 1912 and 1913, the country lay
In some isolation and hostility
Of neighboring countries - left
To lick its wounds.

Without support of the great
Alliance, Bulgaria seemed to take
A back seat - until September
1915;  Reuters agency spoke
To a reserve officer.

The Bulgarian soldier said
He had received telegram orders,
To return to the capital city
Sofia - revealing strength
Of Bulgarian Army.

The forces of his country
Had been mobilised once more -
9 divisions of the Balkan
War, had risen to 10
Collected divisions.

The previous 216,000 rifles
Had become 250,000 arms.
As lack of officers from the Balkan
Wars, became replaced from
Two military schools.

An academy for reserve
Officers saw 800 graduates
In 1914 - while 1915 had enrolled
1,400 more; their June rifle
Training complete.

The reserve officer told
Reuters, how his fellow men all
Having had good educations;
Secondary and university -
Ready to be assigned.

The information given, told
How for 40 regiments - 6000 strong -
Received all their equipment
From well stocked stores,
Of Bulgarian regiments.

In a conscious decisive build
Of Bulgarian artillery, increased
By one third - taking Krupp
Turkish artillery from 1913 -
To form quick-fire regiments.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Bulgaria's New Army - Officer's View. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 23 September. P.9. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11879789/Daily-Telegraph-September-23-1915.html [Accessed: 23 September 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 23 September 2015). 



#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Bulgaria

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