Tuesday, 9 August 2016

Poem ~ Neutrality Breach - Wednesday, 9 August 1916


Source: File: German U Boat at sea in the First World War. See an original image at: <http://www.britishbattles.com/the-battle-of-jutland-part-i-the-opposing-fleets/> [Accessed 9 August 2016]

Having left Russian waters,
A British steamer sailed down
Along coast at Scania - the most
Southerly point of Swedish
Peninsula and neutral waters.

Through Baltic Sea waters
The steamer had sailed safely
on its journey to England, by
Blekingen and Hanoe Bay.

When suddenly a submarine
Surfaced to show itself as
German, with intent to capture
By force the British steamer.

Ignoring the fact boat's neutral
Position the submarine was foiled
When the Swedish Captain made
An unexpected evasive course.

Happening to be from the region,
The Swedish Captain steered
The boat towards shore close
To home, shouting out to friends.

’Quickly,’ he called. 'Telephone
Ystad. A German submarine
Is lying in Swedish waters’ - this
They did as the boat sailed on.

Back towards deeper waters the
German submarine set another
Attempt to board the steamer -
When another vessel appeared.

This was a Swedish Torpedo
Boat that set out to drive German
Submarine from Swedish waters;
The steamer sailed safety on.

By Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Smart Swedish Captain. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 7 August 1916. P.7. Col.5. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12212488/Daily-Telegraph-August-7-1916.html> [Accessed: 9 August 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 9 August 2016). 



#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Sweden

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