Source: File: Edward George Villiers
Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby, by Sir William Orpen.jpeg [online] see original
image at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Stanley,_17th_Earl_of_Derby>
[24 October 2015].
With war's
necessity in maintenance
Of an army's
strength, to gain conclusion
Of a successful
end - army recruitment
Once again, was
in forefront discussion.
19 October 1915;
a Mansion House
Conference heard the
speech by Earl
Of Derby, in his
role Director General
Of recruitment
set out new intentions.
Organised by
Chairman of the Urban
District Councils,
to include Parliament
Agents of the
metropolitan area; a Lord
Mayor of Mayors
hosted the speech.
Without any hint
of a Christmas end,
The Earl began, to
speak of importance
To give Earl
Kitchener what he wanted,
For months ahead
- by soldier supplies.
Fights conclusion
would arrive - yet
Only if all and
every man, realised the
Empire's duty lay
on his shoulders -
An open secret was
for easy numbers.
For this would be
forty-six groups
Of men - those
first twenty-three
To be unmarried
men - these to be
Then set out,
according to ages.
The other groups
of twenty-three
Would consist of
married males
To be called on -
only when those
groups of unmarried
men depleted.
Thus some were
more expendable
Than others -
when needed the
Groups would be
given two weeks
Notice; with date
for each man to join.
Those men deemed
to be of special
Classes might
appeal - only likely
As a delay - they would be expected
To join a class
later than their own.
An additional
rule for men on leave,
Should receive no
military pay - only
To be given
chance for voluntary
Military drill;
such was their fortune.
On the one hand, a
chance to request
To join whatever
service unit desired
Will be
considered - while in reality they
Would be placed
where most needed.
In optimism gaining
many more numbers
Joining, than the
military could train -
Such men were to
be allowed home
On 3s per diem and
put on 24 hours call.
All groups of men
would then be taken
On for General
service, with limited men
For non-frontline
infantry - oddly,
Requests would be
rightly respected.
Powers of
discretion would be charged
To recruiting
officers on non-starred
Men, in
indispensible employment;
Exempt trade
lists would be prepared.
The Earl stated
intention of an elastic
Scheme, without
red tape, in finalist
Preference to
married men for service
And medical corps
for married men;
An obvious tact
then, was for classes
Of men with value
and those without
Value - reduced
to lists and numbers.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Lord
Derby on his new Scheme - Classifying Recruits - Forty Six Groups - Unmarried
Men First. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 20 October. P.9.
Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11928898/Daily-Telegraph-October-20-1915.html
[Accessed: 20 October 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 25 October 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Britain
No comments:
Post a Comment