Wednesday, 6 January 2016

Poem ~ War Crime Of Hyman Coots - Thursday, 6 January 1916


Source: File: Cafe Royal.jpg. [online] An original image is Available at: <http://www.hotelcaferoyal.com/the-hotel/history/> [Accessed: 6 January 2016] 

In London, along way from home,
A soldier with the Canadian Army
Service corps, Private Alfred Allen,
Decided to spend some money
And time at London’s Cafe Royal.

Private Allen fell into conversation
With Hyman Coots and companion,
A lady - six hours of shared company
Passed - ending in the suggestion,
By Hyman Coots to meet next day.

At an agreed time and place Hyman
Coots - while eighteen years looked
Older for his age - confided in Allen
How he could do anything to gain
Money and that Alfred could too.

Hyman Coots believed how he had
Found a companion to share time -
That with his help he could desert,
To provide clothes for his escape;
Alfred was foolish to stay in army.

Private Allen kept his cool in order
To fool Hyman Coots - reporting
Back to his superiors, the young
Man’s Intent - with some others
He visited Lorne Road, Brixton.

This being the address of Coots.
With two officers Allen stated
Were friends of his - to be drunk
With plenty of money - in actual
Fact they were military Police.

Sergeant's Pawsey and Kohl
Of the Canadian military police,
Saw Hyman Coots set to give
Civilian clothes to private Allen,
And hand them military passes.

While both sergeant's stated
They had outstayed their leave,
Left Coots arrest to D.S. Taylor
And S.M. Dee - in their custody
Coots claimed his innocence.

With Military passes produced
And evidenced as fraudulent,
Hyman Coots stood before
Mr Denman at Marlborough
Street Court to be charged.

The prisoner described his self
As Russian and cinematograph
Actor - Hyman's crime was to forge
Passes and attempts to persuade
A soldier of his majesty to desert;

In remand Hyman's bail was refused.

 by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Alleged Deserter Decoy. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 3 January 1916. P.4. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12072932/Daily-Telegraph-January-4-1916.html [Accessed: 6 January 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 6 January 2016). 



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