Poem ~ A King Drops By - Tuesday, 2 March 1915

Source: File: King George V.jpg, 2015. The Year Ahead: 1915 January 15, 2015 · by richreynolds74 1915 in the United Kingdom. 2 March 1915. [online] Available at: <http://20thcenturybattles.com/2015/01/15/the-year-ahead-1915/> [Accessed: 2 March 2015].

A habit had been formed, of keeping

The location of King George a secret,

As he travelled about the British Isles.

On 27 February 1915, at an unnamed

Well-known station, the monarch had

Arrived by train, making an early rise.

A Saturday and no one about, had any

Awareness of the king's presence - who

Liked to visit his troops without ceremony.

The King had, as they arrived, noticed

A small encampment of soldiers, based

A quarter of a mile from where he rested.

With the encampment consisting of some

15 troopers and being off the beaten track,

To reach them the king had to climb one

Embankment and jump various ditches.

With an entourage King George reached

The men as they carried out their morning

Toilet using vessels and buckets for water.

A soldier was washing his face, as he saw

An officer before him – at sudden attention

The king told him to continue, which he did.

The impromptu ranking visitor made some

Talk with the troopers – who, never before

Had seen the monarch, carried on unaware.

For fifteen minutes K.G. asked them about

Their duties - only with the visitor’s departure

Were they surprised, and delighted, to learn

They had been quietly talking with their King.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. King’s Surprise Visit – Early Morning Camp Scene. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 2 Mar. p.9. Col.2. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11440712/Daily-Telegraph-March-2-1915.html [Accessed: 2 March  2015].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 2 March  2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11440712/Daily-Telegraph-March-2-1915.html

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