Thursday, 8 October 2015

Poem ~ Forward With A Football - Friday, 8 October 1915


Impression sketch of WW1 football - by Jamie. Taken from original at:
 
As part of the campaign
To break German defences,
Of Champagne and Artois,
Launched the battle of Loos,
On 25 September 1915.

A Free Church Chaplain,
Rev Perry of Newport,
Was in attendance to tell
Of bravery of every man -
All described as heroes.

One section were faced
To fight impregnable
Position - in preparation
An officer readied
His boys for the charge.

Earlier a football had
been passed around, with
Each platoon man signing
His name - with orders
Called to go over top.

The officer on the parapet
Kicked off the ball -
To shout 'Follow up lads!'
The ball moved onwards
As he was shot down;

Still the soldier lads set off.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Follow The Football. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 October. P.7. Col.5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11914679/Daily-Telegraph-October-8-1915.html [Accessed: 8 October 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 8 October 2015). 



#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Loos

No comments:

Post a Comment