Impression sketch
of Lieutenant 'Williams': Aged 17 - by Jamie.
Amid the
determined youth
Of early war, was
a lad
Of 16 years Clifford
Probert -
Having grown in
Tredegar
Monmouthshire; a
county
Of South East Wales.
Young Clifford Porbert,
Took himself away
To a recruitment
office
In Ebbw Vale - a
Welsh
Town at the
valleys head,
To give a false
age of 19.
On discovery of
her son's
Actions, Mrs
Probert
Told the
recruiting officials
That her sons
real age,
Was only 16 years
- with
This fact he was
discharged.
This eager Clifford
Probert
Did not stay at
home,
Soon he left
for Newport -
Under William Willams
The son signed
once again,
With Royal
Garrison Artillery.
Some time had passed, when
Mrs Probert was
to learn
How her son was
in the army,
At Great Yarmouth
-
His success had
led him
To become a Lance-Corporal.
When Clifford,
then officially
Williams, learned
how
He was to leave
for the front,
He wrote sixteen
letters -
To leave them
with a soldier
Friend with
strict instructions.
Whenever a letter
came from
His mother at
Tredegar,
To halt her
worries, a letter
Would be posted
to her -
Until this soldier
orders
Took him to Dardanelles.
Later within the
spring battle
For Hill 60,
close to Ypres,
Clifford, pseudonym
William,
Was wounded, to be
sent
Home for a time - after some
Months, to be posted
to Loos.
There within the
fierce fight
This young Corporal
Volunteered to go
forward,
Out into open
danger -
Under fire he undertook
A task of dangerous
work.
Gaining another
wound,
This young Welsh
Man was recognised
for
Bravery - promoted
To Lieutenant
Williams,
Presented 25
September.
This came eight
days from
His birthday, Saturday
18 September, that
marked
His 17th year - Once
home
In Tredegar
Clifford was to
Be honoured in presentation.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. Welsh
Boy Hero - Romance Of The War. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 2 February 1916. P.11.
Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12130506/Daily-Telegraph-February-2-1916.html
[Accessed: 2 February 2016].
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Wales
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