Source: File:
From Geographical Imaginations: Is Paris Burning? A
look-out man operates a portable siren above the city. See an original image at: <https://geographicalimaginations.com/2012/10/20/is-paris-burning/>
[Accessed 31 July 2017]
[Accessed 31 July 2017]
Within war comes propaganda;
Opposing sides give denial
Of what the other
side says.
Arial activity
over the capital
Of France, found multiple
German bombing air raids.
German bombing air raids.
As a precaution army of Paris
Firemen warned the people
Of enemy crafts approaching.
Weird, unusual sounds stirred
Firemen warned the people
Of enemy crafts approaching.
Weird, unusual sounds stirred
Paris, as firemen on roofs blew
On bugles or sounded sirens.
Above air raid
alarms French
Air craft took flight
over city,
In a darkening, melting sky.
Ground and sky
became
As one - deep darkness
cut
By beams of
searchlights.
German official reports told
Of railways targeted in Paris,
To hit their mark with damage.
Of railways targeted in Paris,
To hit their mark with damage.
By Saturday, French replies
Made denial - that enemy
Planes had left no
destruction.
Neither material loss nor loss
Of life - wireless
messages
Were received by
Admiralty.
Yet Parisian military
bases
And railways were hit, with
German pilots safely returned.
German pilots safely returned.
Sunday July 29th, a Journal
Told of a
suburban air raid
To describe damages done.
One store of
combustibles
had been hit - also a factory
Yard, to leave small effects.
Two more fell
appropriately
Into gutters, while shell havoc
Hit beds of innocent cauliflowers.
Any resulting
explosions
Lacked involved descriptions,
As another bomb hit a
centre.
Noted as important, maybe
Military, one turret exploded;
Being close to
civilian houses.
The blast blew out material
To injure a single sleeping
lady -
More bombs harmlessly
fell.
Some hit one large
enclosure,
With three in a
boulevard -
Another damaged flowerbeds.
Sunday 29 July
saw repeat.
30 minutes after
midnight
Came the sounds
of bugles.
Firemen called reveille and
Again set sirens
loud across
Sleepy Paris, all as a caution.
Readied French
squadrons
Took action to flight; reportedly
Sending enemy
backwards.
News via Petit Journal, from
Versailles said bombs exploded,
Versailles said bombs exploded,
All lost in the open
countryside.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1917. Bombs On Paris - No Victims Or Damage. The
Daily Telegraph, [online]
30
July 1917. P.4. Col.6. Available
at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214740/Daily-Telegraph-July-30-1917.html
[Accessed: 31 July 2017].
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 31 July 2017).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Paris
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