i
Time moves on a
pace -
The bite of winter
starts to fade.
February's end sees
news
Of Gommecourt,
which German
Troops abandoned.
A hammered
commune
8 miles north of
Albert, within
The Bapaume
triangle -
A two-man patrol
had set out.
Members of the
Durham
Light infantry
entered the park
Of Gommecourt
chateau;
The ruins
striking a stark line.
The commune
remnants
Being easily
taken, without any
Fight - 9 months
before
Had seen a London
regiment.
Then an assault
had
Been taken on the
impregnable
Position, to
threaten
Them with total
annihilation.
For reasons the Germans
chose
To retreat during
dusk -
Their way had
been protected,
West of Bucquoy.
With a wedge
formed
By rear guard posts
- machine
Guns lined about
Rossignol and
Biaz woods.
Return to
normality
Saw resurgence of
dirty tricks -
Booby traps set
out
To catch out
unwary hunters.
Souvenirs of abandoned
German helmets concealed
German helmets concealed
Explosives set to blow
If touched, as were trip wires.
If touched, as were trip wires.
Insignificant
devices
Were seen as less
of a threat
Than machine
gunners
And snipers concealed all about.
ii
Work of the
troops being
To hunt them out
from hiding -
Not so far very
far
Away Puisieux
village hid many.
A manhunt took
Place within the
maze of brick
Ruins, in the night
Of Tuesday 27
February 1917.
In the clearance
The British line had
expanded;
Gommecourt, lay
Left to Puisieux,
right to Irles.
All such communes
Destruction were
thorough -
To include Irles
And Achiet le
Petit churches.
In German
occupation
Churches were
destroyed to halt
Advantages as
platform
For their enemies
observers.
The clock tower
Of Bapume had
also gone -
Noted how in the
Somme this had
told time.
South of Bapaume,
North of
Ligny-Thilloy - yet
Another village
fell
Into allied hands
-Thilloy.
Speculation makes
For reasons, in
the ease
Of taking the line
Within these communes.
Steady pressure
Of allied attacks,
perhaps had
Pushed enemy; back
To poorer,
shorter grounds.
Yet a
concentrated
German line set
to rebuild their
Offence and defence;
Annoyance came
via new shells.
iii
Bapaume lay under
A mile away 'he' i.e.
Germany,
On the other side
had
Big guns, on
railway mounts.
Over the bubble
that
Was Bapaume shot
quick fire
Artillery - barbed
rolls
About Achiet and
Bucquoy.
The loop
continuing
At Loupard wood -
what then
Was plan of German
High command to
pull back?
His tactic
perhaps
To regroup along
a shorter,
Stronger line - a
pivot
At Le Transloy held
his lines.
Allied anticipation
To perhaps reform
before
Arras, Cambrai
And Douai - in
speculation.
Beyond Bapaume
Were eastern
strongholds
Of an enemy, set
In French woods
and villages.
These British
gains
Were results of consolidation
To re-strengthen,
Maybe against
losses of 1916.
by Jamie Mann.
Gibb, P., 1917. German Retreat - More British Gains. The
Daily Telegraph, [online]
1
March 1917. P.7. Col.2. Available
at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214348/Daily-Telegraph-March-1-1917.html>
[Accessed: 1 March 2016].
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 1 March 2017).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Bapume
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