Impression sketch
for Tragedy of Victory by Jamie
To carry on dark December's trend of tragedy
Emerged the story
of a Royal Navel Reserve
Stoker, Patrick
Victory, S
8691. An Irishman
Born 1888, whose
home lay in Dublin centre,
On Lord Edward
Street.
Aged 28, Paddy Victory's base was the Royal
Naval Barracks situated at Portsmouth's east
Harbour - on day 5 November 1916, a week
After his marriage in October, Paddy Victory
Travelled to London.
Naval Barracks situated at Portsmouth's east
Harbour - on day 5 November 1916, a week
After his marriage in October, Paddy Victory
Travelled to London.
Yet having overstayed
his leave from base
In Portsmouth,
Stoker Paddy Victory found
Himself in
despair - this led him to a final
Decision. He sat
and took pen to paper in
Writing words to
his love.
With address to his
home on Lord Edward
Street Dublin,
Paddy addressed his wife
By her maiden
name to say, 'god forgive me.'
Repentant,
Victory alluded to how his new
Wife had kept him
home.
Between the lines
she probably begged
Him not to leave
- 'why did you not let me
Go Friday?' -
newly married she likely
Feared losing him
in war - 'I could have
Died happy.'
Both knew he
could have lost his life
Fighting for his
country - then she could
Have been safe, not
to be associated
To a deserter -
he had given her traitors
Name; he asked for
no blame.
He told her he was
bad enough - 'drink
And what I must
have said in it, has done
For me' - suggested between lines was
How Paddy regretted many words he did
Not mean, likely when
drunk.
Mrs Victory's
husband on route had
Gone to London -
in despair he felt there
No other way out
- after a 'goodbye
Forever' he
extended his words in yet
Another goodbye.
He told her how
at London tower
A gunshot would
be fired at midnight -
His intent for
the signal as his parting -
After the hour, Stoker Paddy Victory
Walked to
Westminster Bridge.
Out on the darkened
street he folded
The letter into
his pocket, along with
A handkerchief
square, that held his
Few personal items;
maybe a watch
And wedding ring.
Standing half way
over the bridge
Paddy heard the
lapping dark waters -
With head bowed he
shrugged off his
Overcoat and
neatly folded this on
The ground.
Around his collar
he wore a rosary.
Waiting till a
few distant figures
Had gone, he
climbed and dropped
Into the water
with little sound,
To quietly drown.
The body of Stoker
Patrick Victory was
Found some 30
days later, Wednesday
6 December - an
enquiry held Friday,
8 December led by
coroner Mr Ingleby
Oddie in Lambeth.
A conclusion had looked
on his sensitivity
Of being seen as
a deserter - having
Stayed from base
longer than acceptable;
How his mind
under temporary insanity,
Drove him to
suicide.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. Suicide Of A Bridegroom. The Daily Telegraph,
[online] 15 December
1916. P.13. Col.3. Available
at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213946/Daily-Telegraph-December-9-1916.html> [Accessed: 30 December 2016].
Anon.,1916. The Peace Proposal - An American View. The
Daily Telegraph, [online]
15
December 1916. P.10. Col.6. Available
at:
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213996/Daily-Telegraph-December-15-1916.htmll>
[Accessed: 30 December 2016].
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 30 December 2016).
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