Saturday, 12 November 2016

Poem ~ Crowds; Scarier Than Bombs - Sunday, 12 November 1916 - Monday, 13 November 1916

Impression sketch of Private 'Todger' Thomas Jones VC being welcomed home - by Jamie.

Down in the county of Cheshire in the locality
Of Rucorn, saw a welcome home of one of their
Son's - the port and industrial town - then to be
Known as the 'Runcorn Victoria Cross' of Private
Todger Thomas Jones - Where a northwest
Welcome awaited his arrival.

On the Thursday afternoon of 9 November
1916, saw extreme enthusiastic crowds to lift
Him on the shoulders of carriers, to commence
To take him home - on route where Bridgwater,
Regent and Station roads converged, the crowd
Grew to greater proportions.

Till then Todger was swept away by all the
Crowd’s attentions - during an interview Private
Todger Jones told of his capturing of more
Than 100 Germans - by his admittance he told
That in the likelihood that he would be killed,
He may as well go down fighting.

In preference to digging down, he arrived
At a enemy dugout to get rid of three guards;
'With my old magazine.' Here one man spoke
Good English, Todger said to him that if the lot
Did not surrender the lads would be over by their
Thousands to cut them to pieces.

The German relayed the message into the dug
Out, he said, 'if we do not surrender they will
Cut us to bits 'one by one they came out to
The open - among them one German bolted
And Todger carried out this warning and shot
Him in the head.

The remainder shot up their hands and they
Chorused 'Mercy kamerad!' Todger admitted
That he had laughed and faced 120 enemies
Staring in fear at him - 'good lord what can
I do with this lot?' - Just then some lads made
Appearance and rounded them all to their lines.

Back to the future on 9 November 1916 Todger
Had found himself amid the crush of a crowd -
Under him a carrier wobbled in the crush and
Nervy Todger touched ground and took to his
Heels down a side street, running all way back
Home - arriving exhausted.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. 'Todger' Jones V.C. - Flight From His Townsmen.The Daily Telegraph, [online] 10 November 1916. P.09. Col.4. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213606/Daily-Telegraph-November-10-1916.html> [Accessed: 12 November 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 12 November 2016). 



#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Medals

No comments:

Post a Comment