Impression sketch
of George Wells, forced to march in the snow - by Jamie.
Within the opening
situation of October 1914,
Began German race
to the sea - with attempts
To outflank
either side - but neither side
Could gain a final
victory.
Within the
process, La Bassee fell to hands
Of Germans, where
Private George Wells
With the 1st
Cheshires was taken prisoner;
Transported to
Wittenberg.
The Prisoner of
war camp had maltreated
Inmates as
private Wells soon discovered -
How the guards
that controlled their lives,
Had pleasure in
their suffering.
The brutal nature
of the Wittenberg camp
Became a daily
event - the whistles blown
To send prisoners
back to huts, if slow
They would be
fired on.
Over six months Private
Wells did not
Have any change
of shirt - when in bitter
Weather he was
made to march in snow,
Without boots or
overcoat.
For such action
and conditions Wells'
Feet swelled with
pain, to stage where
He could not walk
- while the Doctors
Of the camp took
no action.
Another habit had
been to set the dogs
On the prisoners
- After an American
Ambassador, came
to the camp their
Conditions began
to improve.
German Doctors
showed callousness,
To leave sick
prisoners to their illness -
Among the more
fortunate, Private Wells
Was to gain treatment.
One of three
captured British Doctors
Examined his
feet, to see gangrene.
Doctor Vidal
informed Private Wells
Of a need to
operate.
Only by amputating
both feet at the
Instep could Private
Wells be saved.
For months he
remained in hospital,
Where recovery
was slow.
The food given them
was poor quality;
They ate black
bread potatoes, bran
And gruel made
from maize - finally
Camp guard
numbers lessened.
Private George Wells
had become
Disabled from the
amputation; a result
From having been
subjected to enemy
Brutality over 14
months.
Possibly as part
of an exchange
For prisoners, that could no longer
Fight at soldiers,
George Wells
Returned to
Northampton.
On the journey
taken from Wittenberg
He saw signs of
Germany suffering -
Warehouses were
made into hospitals,
With streets of shops
closed.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. German
Callousness - Soldiers Prisoners Story. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 15 January 1916. P.10.
Col.6. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12093316/Daily-Telegraph-January-15-1916.html
[Accessed: 16 January 2016].
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 16 January 2016).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Prisonerofwar
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