Poem ~ Mobbs War, Monday 13 August 1917 - Wednesday 15 August 1917

Source: File: Edgar Roberts Mobbs. See an original image at: <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edgar_Mobbs.jpg> [Accessed 13 August 2017]

From the Boys Own World to a world war,

Figures of standing in arts and sport,

Edged from civilian life into khaki.

Already a legend on the sports field was

Edgar Mobbs, rugby player and cricketer.

Born Northampton, Edgar Roberts Mobbs

Lived Buckinghamshire, Dartmouth

House Olney, his formative home.

At 8 years 1882 Edgar played in rugby

Team of under 10's, to follow into house team.

A knee injury aged 16 meant a break from

Rugby for 5 years; instead to play cricket

And hockey - the tallest of 4 brothers

And 2 sisters, Edgar was faired haired and

Blue eyed at 6 foot -1903 he returned to rugby.

A career of success followed, to raise his

Status to sporting star - as captain

Of Northampton Rugby Club for

6 years Mobbs scored 177 tries - 1909

He played for England against Australians.

With his stature, physique, strength

And pace, Edgar was made a force

On the field - with Barbarians,

Northampton and East Midlands

Teams, also to include Toulouse, France.

Edgar Mobbs Aged 32 in 1913, decided

To retire from sport, to follow in father's

Steps within motor industry - when

Mobbs considered emigration to

Canada in 1914, European war broke out.

The sports man volunteered - set to gain

A commission but was refused,

Reason being over the age limit -

Yet undeterred Edgar used his own

Influence for others to form a special corps.

Joining as a private alongside 'Mobbs

Army,’ this Sportsman's Battalion

Became part of the 7th Northants

D company - to include other rugby

Players with Captains' of Bedford and Devon.

With his big personality promotion would

Follow. Arrival in France led Mobbs

Into Battle of Loos - rapid rise led

Him to become Major Mobbs - April

1916 he took command of 7th Northants.

After promotion to Lt Colonel, Mobbs

Alongside his company, fought

In Battle of the Somme - during

Attack on Guillemont village,

Lt Colonel Mobbs took a shrapnel hit.

Following mentions in Despatches

Twice, Lt Colonel Mobbs was

Awarded the DSO. December

1916, the following year, took

The Northants to another sector.

April 1917 and the Battle of Arras saw

D company gain many casualties.

7 June, whilst fighting in Ypres

Salient, Lt Colonel Mobbs took

A further wound in action at Messines.

Under 20 days later Lt Colonel Mobbs

Was back with his battalion - over

18 months Private Mobbs reached

Lit-Colonel - coveted as great

Hero of sport with boyish personality.

Soldiering had given Mobbs renewal -

He declared, 'heaps better than

Rugger' - adding it has more

'Variety' - discipline and grind

Of training appealed as a challenge.

Edgar Mobbs took to soldiering

With ease, as those around

Him witnessed how he felt all

Loss of those in his company -

To say that he would be back again.

Despite wounds, his ability to recover

Did not keep Mobbs from front

For too long. On 29 July duty

Posted Mobbs near Zillebeke,

At the Canada Street tunnels HQ.

Involved in launch of the third battle

Of Ypres, Lt. Colonel Mobbs

Was at hand to the front where

He witnessed many of the walking

Wounded return, stating loss of officers.

To follow duty to lead his men Mobbs

Moved to Shrewsbury Forest -

31 July the attack began with

Lt Colonel Mobbs forwarding

The company, ignoring his own status.

As Battalion commander Mobbs

Should not have been there -

In the thick of it at Lower Star

Post, he discovered a section

Of the battalion cornered by enemy.

Requisitioning hand grenades Mobbs

Gained a volunteer runner - the plan

Revived the old game tricks back,

In a two pronged rugby flanking

Movement, was how to take out guns.

Despite another reminder Mobbs

Headed off - the runner was

Quick - he could feel that old

Surge, back on the field the ball

Under arm; a try was just forty yards.

Thirty-five yards behind him a dull

Yell; 'for gods sake get down sir!'

Almost 30 yards Mobbs saw

The Flash of sweeping bullets -

Ready to let the Hun take a catch.

A teammate suddenly saw Mobbs

Drop, believing he had thrown

A grenade he fell alongside

Lt Colonel to see his wound -

A bullet had gone through his neck.

They paused on the lip of a shell hole.

Mobbs gasped to halt attempt

To dress the hit - he scrawled 

The gun position, pushed the map

Into the runner's hand with firm orders.

Shakily the man read Mobbs message.

'Am seriously wounded' - despite

Protests to leave him, Mobbs gave 

Orders; return see to his wound

Only after the need of reinforcements.

Lying in mud Mobbs could not fight

A fitful sleep - with ten minutes

His men found Lt Colonel Mobbs

Had died alone - action demanded

That they could not convey his body.

The Sports man's battalion pressed

On with duty - their leaders body

Would never be recovered, lost

In the battle - they just fought even

Stronger, to avenge a good man's death.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. Private To Lieut-Colonel - Famous Footballer Killed. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 06 August 1917. P.6. Col.2. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214752/Daily-Telegraph-August-6-1917.html> [Accessed: 13 August 2017].

Source: File: England Rugby: Remembering Edgar Roberts Mobbs. Available at: <http://www.englandrugby.com/news/features/remembering-edgar-roberts-mobbs/> [Accessed 13 August 2017]

Source: Olney and District Historical Society:  Edgar R Mobbs DSO (1882-1917) - Legendary Soldier Sportsman. Available at: <http://www.mkheritage.org.uk/odhs/articles/edgar-roberts-mobbs-dso-1882-1917/> [Accessed 13 August 2017]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 13 August 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214752/Daily-Telegraph-August-6-1917.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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Poem ~ Tragedy Of The Belgian Prince, Thursday 9 August 1917 - Sunday 12 August 1917

Source: File: Two Survivors of the Belgian Prince. See an original image at: <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-40831765> [Accessed 06 August 2017]

A steamer, Belgian Prince, out at sea

Some 200 miles from Irish coastline,

With a crew of varied origins - they

Included an American black man,

William Snell and a man of Tyneside

Thomas Bowman - Chief Engineer.

Built by Laing James and Sons Ltd

In 1904, the cargo ship was built

To reach 10.5 knots - The Belgian

Prince then owned by Prince Line.

Tuesday 31 July 1917, Thomas

Bowman was on deck; time 8 p.m.

175 miles distant from Tory Island

On Donegal coast, a German sub

U 55 was on a mission to sink any

Allied shipping - commanded by

Oberleutnant zur See Wilhelm

Werner; Belgian Prince was seen.

The U boat's engines were thrown

Into action and a course was begun.

The U boat launched a first torpedo.

Then struck Belgian Prince lurched

Sideways - chief engineer Thomas

Bowman fell on deck, hit by debris.

Boat's crew of 42 men took action

As the vessel gave a list, taking

To the lifeboats. Once in the water

The submarine came alongside

Fired on the disabled Belgian Prince

To foil attempts to call assistance.

The crew in the lifeboats were

Ordered by the U55 to remain

Alongside - with no other choice

They did so - a veteran of close

Escapes Thomas Bowman, told

How they were ordered aboard.

Among the 42 standing on the

Submarines deck Captain Hassan

Was separated and taken below -

Their prize from steamer Belgian

Prince that now hung limp in sea -

U boat crew focused on the crew.

While some took axes to the life

Boats other Germans removed

The lifebelts from all but 8 men;

Told to strip off their outer clothing -

Oars, balers and gratings were

Taken from the smashed lifeboats.

Without any consideration of 41

Men’s lives, the U55 crew climbed

Into their vessel and closed the

Hatches - Thomas Bowman told

How the U boat began to move

To wash them all into the waves.

One of eight Thomas Bowman

Still wore a life belt - a number

Of his fellow crew floundered

In the water to be pulled under

By the U55's swell - others swum

Back to the wrecked steamer.

By then the submarine was two

Miles distant, their Captain's fate

Unknown - hanging in water was

2nd Cook William Snell, of Florida

Jacksonville, and able Seaman

George Silessi; time passed.

The youngest apprentice aged 16,

Edward Sharp was calling out

For assistance - Bowman dived

Back into water and swam

To the boy to reassure the lad -

Bowman held him above water.

Hours passed into darkness,

As the figures left were carried

By the sea. Thomas attempted

To keep Edward awake but

The lad losing consciousness

Succumbed to exposure - he had

To let the boy drift from his hold.

Midnight was judged to pass

Still in darkened hours - the final

Survivors waited for daylight -

Finally some time after dawn,

Emerged on the sea the floating

Hulk of steamer Belgian Prince.

Smoke still drifted up from wreck

As Thomas Bowman summed

Energy to crawl through water,

When an explosion from debri

Halted chance to reach any kind

Of safety; around him were bodies.

Crewmates hung limp in the water -

In their isolation two others were

Still alive - able Seaman George

Silessi had already returned to their

Stricken steamer, to remain for hours

When a submarine lifted from sea.

While not certain this was the same

That had attacked them, Silessi saw

Numbers of Germans climb aboard

To claim any loot - Silessi slipped

Away into the water and made for

For the remains of a small boat.

William Snell, the American cook

Had also spent the same hours

Afloat, having concealed lifebelt

Under his clothing - time and water

Had caused him to drift in distance;

In daylight he saw Belgian Prince.

Holding onto his life Snell began

To head back towards the wreck -

At some distance he judged a mile,

Snell paused - close to the Prince

He saw the black U boat shape

To believe Germans had returned.

Stalling his return by his hesitation

He saw the final act to finish her -

The deck gun flashed twice with

A crack upon the hulk, the Belgian

Prince by her stern, finally sank -

He could do nothing but watch.

The slowly rising sun suggested

7 a.m. - was William Snell the only

Man left? The U-boat vanished to an

Underwater route, when little more

Than an hour later, a British boat

Found 3 survivors with 39 dead.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. Murder On The High Seas - Hums Fiendish Callousness. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 04 August 1917. P.8. Col.3. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214750/Daily-Telegraph-August-4-1917.html> [Accessed: 09 August 2017].

Source:  McCauley. C. File: BBC News: World War One: The sinking of the SS Belgian Prince 100 years on. Available at: <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-40831765> [Accessed 09 August 2017]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 09 August 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214750/Daily-Telegraph-August-4-1917.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1waratsea

Poem ~ Fighting Above The Mud, Monday 6 August 1917 - Wednesday 8 August 1917

Source: File: German Aerodrome. See an original image at: <http://www.earlyaeroplanes.com/archive/image5/GermanAerodromes.jpg> [Accessed 06 August 2017]

Winter in August enshrouded

In dankness; an army dug in as well

As they could into a swampland.

Vile Flemish weather created

Glutinous mud; shell holes as ponds.

As insects in a ploughed field

Walking wounded made their way as

Best they could, trying to avoid

Shelling arriving at clearing

Stations, as weary figures of mud. 

The foulest of weather was not

Confined to ground, where in the air

The forces of aircraft did not

Hesitate to take part over

Enemy territory to create havoc.

31 July saw keen embarkation

Of eager airmen to add their part,

Swooping low over marching

Heads of enemy to scatter

Them, or taking bombs to camps.

These airmen often flying low

At tree height - as one air pilot did

Till coming to an aerodrome.

He targeted the hangers - those

On ground initially saw him as own.

Then a bomb hit the first hanger

Causing panic, whilst he swooped

To the open doors firing inside -

Lifting, soaring to the second

Shed to provide a gift of a bomb.

A third hanger took another

Bomb; a delay in the handle's action

Sent fourth bomb onto ground

Near to a railway siding, close

To a train - the Germans took aim.

They fired at the English

Plane but the pilot undeterred led

Straight into them in return

Of fire, to scatter them about -

At 20ft to target the sheds again.

Firing last of his bullets the pilot

Lifted away to a cloud. With renewed

Ammunition this aerodrome

Saw the return of the flyer so

Low to skim the ground again,

Firing into hangers on mechanics.

Having left that aerodrome

In disarray, the English pilot came

Across two German officers

On horseback, to dive low

Over their heads; the horses bolted.

Further along from a height

the pilot swooped to a marching

German column, letting loose

Fire In their midst, they scattered

To seek safety in ditch and hedge.

Having used all ammunition

The pilot retreated to fix a third

Drum - he emerged from

Cloud to discover German

Craft in pursuit in ariel battle.

In evasive action and

Reaction the three fought briefly,

Until in pursuit a German

Crashed to ground to see

A German crowd gather round.

Without hesitation he turned

Again and targeted the crowd.

The British pilot left them

To encounter a civil train

Finishing bullets returned to base.

by Jamie Mann.

Gibb.P,1917. Heroic Airman In The Battle Of Flanders -Amazing Exploits. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 03 August 1917. P.5. Col.5-6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214748/Daily-Telegraph-August-3-1917.html [Accessed: 06 August 2017].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 06 August 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214748/Daily-Telegraph-August-3-1917.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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Poem ~ Battle's Deluge, Friday 3 August 1917 - Sunday 5 August 1917

Source: File: Impression Sketch of Mud: Gilbert Rogers. See an original image at: <https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/mud-6619/search/actor:rogers-gilbert-18811956/page/1/view_as/grid> 
[Accessed 03 August 2017]

Rain, not just any old rain but heavy rain -

Wednesday 1 August 1917 - deceitfully

Mirrored an English Summer's day across

Flanders plains. Whilst hurried umbrellas

Populated English streets, the Tommy

And Poilu faced storm clouds; a job was

Underway for the third battle for Ypres.

A telegram penned by Sir Douglas Haig,

Written midday of the first August day,

Told of endless rainfall for 24 hours.

Through the darkness of sodden night,

An English line lay south of the Canal

Between Ypres-Comines - northwards

The enemy counter attacks opened up.

The heavy German counter attacks

Were actively repulsed, but by what

Cost? Ground held by allied artillery

In darkness, held onto the railway

Line between Ypres-Roulers - against

All odds night raids proved a success.

Raids include Bois Grenier - another

Telegram followed ten hours later  -

Haig told of further fierce counter

Attacks formed in strength northeast

Of Ypres, between the ground

St Julien and Westhoek - the allies

Held on against the enemy forces.

They clung to higher grounds taken

Tuesday - despite stubborn exchanges

Those advanced troops were forced

From St Julien - while Westhoek

Village experienced determined

Enemy; western outskirts were held.

Another operation had success.

A battle front line was redrawn,

Over Zillebeke- Zandvoorde road.

Fighting, as Haig wrote, continued

From afternoon at Reulers-Ypres

Railways lines, while Yser canal

Ground was gained on east side -

But do not envision a clean picture.

Rain, rain, rain over 24 hours - such

A consistent downpour like a grey

Steel blur - a salient in 360 degrees

Found the air awash. July had been

Fine, but delays for French readiness

Coincided with unrepentant rain -

Soaking, filthy and endlessly pouring.

In contrast rain elsewhere funnelled

By solid homes, where civil people

Emerged from doors to hurry along.

Young children might leap to slam

Feet hard into puddles, their mothers

Reprimand such childish behaviour;

A boot slides in Passchendaele mud.

Weighed down soldiers; a barrage of

Speeding shells slicing through rain

Slam into soft ground - a dank earth

Skewered by rain pellets and machine

Shells - both collide to explode forth

Spews of liquid mud clouds - amid

All this frail, determined men fought.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. Allied Advance In Flanders - Fierce Counter-Attacks - Over 5,000 Prisoners. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 01 August 1917. P.5. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214749/Daily-Telegraph-August-2-1917.html [Accessed: 01 August 2017].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 01 August 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214749/Daily-Telegraph-August-2-1917.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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Poem ~ Innocent Spies - Thursday, 2 August 1917

 Impression sketch: Innocent Spies. By Jamie

Liege - a Belgium city lying on river Meuse,

Where M'siuer Groneret a merchant shop

Keeper lived with wife and two daughters -

A well known family of Liege, whose head

Of house had influential status, was arrested.

Charges laid on Groneret were on grounds

Of spying - over 3 days the family underwent

A trial - while there had been no proof of given

Acts of espionage, this Belgium Groneret

Family under German held Liege, saw fate set.

The two young Groneret daughters, aged 14

And 20, after three days were transported,

Forced to stand beside a firing squad - the

Officer in charge ordered the soldiers to aim

And fire, executing the girl’s parents outright.

The officer approached the two stunned

Girls and forced them to stand where their

Father and mother lay dead - by their pools
Of blood, the German officer calmly looked 
Both girls in the eye and questioned them.

He said, 'tell me the names of your parents

Spying accomplices. If you tell me your

Lives will be spared, this I promise you.'

The youngest girl a moment later shook

Her head - her older sister gave her reply.

The young woman glared at the officer,

Her voice firm; 'If we speak we could

Cause fifty more people to be killed.

We would rather die alone.' The officer

Grabbed the young girl, pulling her aside.

With an indifferent voice the officer gave

The order to shoot the older girl - they

Aimed and fired and she fell dead over

Her mother and father - the distraught  

14 year old was forced to look on them.

All her family lay dead as the German

Officer promised her a pardon, but only

She gave the names of all her families

Accomplices - but the girl would not

Speak, believing she was to be shot.

Yet her fate was worsened as they

Began to torture her in unsaid ways,

Then given to the squad who were

Ordered to use her - finally broken

The Groneret girl found relief in death.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. Quadruple Murder - Fresh German Atrocity. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 01 August 1917. P.5. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214747/Daily-Telegraph-August-1-1917.html [Accessed: 02 August 2017].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 02 August 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214747/Daily-Telegraph-August-1-1917.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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Poem ~ A Battle Opens - Wednesday, 1 August 1917

Source: File: German prisoners and British wounded crossing a duck board bridge over the Yser Canal. Near Boesinghe, 31 July 1917. See an original image at: <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Battle_of_Passchendaele,_July-november_1917_Q5726.jpg> [Accessed 01 August 2017]

One day had started - 'the day of battle

The world had waited for began.'

Such were words of war correspondent

Philip Gibbs - formed in acts of battle

Tactics; did that world include Germany?

Over land between Boesinghe to River

Lys, shoulder-to-shoulder French

And allied troopers began the fight - after

Intensity of bombardment and offence

Opened to soften the German side.

Along a 15-mile front French made their

Approaches over allied left shoulder.

Despite poor weather, the sector of Ypres

Neighbour villages fell from German

Hands - Steenstraete soon succumbed.

The Poilu had made great advances

In protection of the allied left flank -

Taking objectives within first few hours,

Two miles into enemy occupation

Another objective formed, Bixschoote.

In south easterly directions the mass

Of Poilu's advanced into Kortekeer,

Cabaret village - with other communes

Soon to follow - short hours later

German counter attacks were halted. 

From their centralised push the British

Made gain of two miles - objectives

Of Steebeek river crossings were taken.

With formation of two assurgent

Systems, assaults opened on targets.

St Julien, Frezenberg, Pikem along

With Verlorenhoek - strongholds

Of woods and farms reformed under

Hands of British - on the south

Flank first objectives were also gained.

Sanctuary Wood and Hooge village -

while Westhoek village witnessed

A vicious struggle - a mile reportedly

Taken. All about counter attacks

Were faced and held on: stalemate.

Success upon success - all within

Initial hours of fight to suggest

Great gains. Reports promised battle

Wins the world had awaited -

This might just be the breakthrough.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. Great Battle Of Flanders. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 01 August 1917. P.5. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214747/Daily-Telegraph-August-1-1917.html [Accessed: 01 August 2017].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 01 August 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214747/Daily-Telegraph-August-1-1917.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Belgium