Poem ~ School for Marksmen - Monday, 31 May 1915

Impression sketch Musketry Class 1915 - by Jamie. taken from an original image which can be seen at: http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Landscape_Targetry.htm 

1915 Saturday 27 May, Pall Mall

London saw a spring meeting,

For National Rifle Association – 

In the chair Lord Cheylesmore

Spoke, how the meeting should

Discuss July’s competitions -

Yet many members were away

Using skills on frontline; now

There would be no programmes.

With domination of war, Bisley

Had only seen one musketry

Course, run with assistance from

Captain Summers and Major

Richardson, men and officers

Had gained Bisley certificates.

Raised at a previous meeting,

Lord Cheylesmore had requested

Telescopea - with an offer coming

From a lady for one on a mahogany

Stand - to be met with laughter  -

Current telescopic sights available

Were German - although approval

Had been given to a British scope

Designed by Major Lattey  - one

Of which was passed around.

Between laughter and cheers,

The meeting went on to say how

Machine Gun course was being

Attended, by over a 1000 men –

How professional and amateur

Men worked together, which could

Only benefit the war office -

The association being a best friend.

Bisley School's Chief Instructor,

Major Richardson told how well

The school worked - How 1,191

Men had been passed - 384

Instructors were now employed

In the New Army – one instructing

Musketry to 1000 men - to total

A million and quarter men.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. National Rifle Association  - training Marksmen. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 31 May. p.3. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11633912/Daily-Telegraph-May-31.html  [Accessed: 31 May  2015].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 31 June  2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11633912/Daily-Telegraph-May-31.html

 

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Poem ~ Barmaid Recruitment - Sunday, 30 May 1915

Impression sketch of a Bar Maid - by Jamie. taken from an original image by Tessier, Louis Adolphe (fl.1886-1915) which can be seen at: http://www.bridgemanimages.com/fr/asset/63282/tessier-louis-adolphe-fl-1886-1915/the-barmaid

On the coming day of Tuesday, Glasgow,

Would see a drive for recruitment

Aid at the licensed trade and employees.

The meeting to be under Lord Provost,

With officers speaking, in order

Closing public houses for men to attend.

The male employees would have no

Reason not to attend - knowing

Of a movement to permit employment

To allow working of barmaids.

Such a movement had begun years

Before, to request magistrates

Of the city for serving women - as many

Trade members have enlisted.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Barmaids or Barmen? The Daily Telegraph, [online] 29 May. P.7. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11633886/Daily-Telegraph-May-29-1915.html [Accessed: 30 May 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 30 May 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11633886/Daily-Telegraph-May-29-1915.html

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

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Poem ~ Designer Gas Mask - Saturday, 29 May 1915

The Danger of Gas Bombs -advert. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 29 May. P.7. Col.6-7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11633886/Daily-Telegraph-May-29-1915.html [Accessed: 29 May 2015].

Yet another variation to combat deadly fumes,

Comes in the ‘life saving Cavendish Anti-

Gas inhaler – stated as a ‘mask that is really

Efficient’ – so stated the latest adverts.

Something of a conical device with three

Straps, under each ear and over the head -

Displays an uncomfortable fitting - worn

In an instant, the complete item for 5/6.

Pads are seen as only partly and briefly

Effective in slowly moving vapours -

Amid explosions of gas seeping into every

cranny ff the home - As are respirators -

Unless of course they have active solution.

All is in anticipation of gas bomb attacks

On homes - as fear is built up with small

Italics, how doors and windows don’t protect.

To prove by science, the Cavendish device

Has been made by Royal Naval Surgeon -

Who has had rescue work in coal mines -

Not only for friends in trenches but at home.

For a bit more at 7/6,one can order this

With refills – each one allowing half hour -

Long enough to get to safety - unless

Of course you are trapped or on front line.

To complete the look for extra 2/- are

Unbreakable goggles - with reminder 

That gas inflicts pain to the eyes -

To give weakness or total blindness.

Therefore sells the dangers of gas bombs

Advertised freely aimed at both soldiers

And civilians alike - don’t procrastinate,

For trivial cost get your mask and goggles.

Faith is in the title Surgical Manufacturing

Company of a London address, open day

And night - how popular then was the life

Saver, Cavendish anti-gas inhaler?

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. The Danger of Gas Bombs - advert. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 29 May. P.7. Col.6-7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11633886/Daily-Telegraph-May-29-1915.html [Accessed: 29 May 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 29 May 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11633886/Daily-Telegraph-May-29-1915.html

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

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Poem ~ Faulty Mines - Explosive Shockwaves - Friday, 28 May 1915

Impression sketch of Princess Irene - by Jamie. Original image can be seen at: http://www.loeildelaphotographie.com/2014/11/21/exhibition/26666/venezia-defends-itself-1915-1918-casa-dei-tre-oci-venezia

On the evening of 27 May the Admiralty

Secretary made announcement,

How on that very morning H. M. Princess

Irene and Auxiliary ships at Sheerness,

Suffered a sudden explosion.

Onboard the Princess Irene at harbour,

Were dockyard men, in total

78 - all believed killed - the only survivor

Was a stoker David Wills, suffering burns

In result of the destruction.

Completed early in 1915 by Denny & Co,

At Dumbarton Shipyards,

The two large Steamships commissioned,

For Canadian Pacific Railway Company,

For Pacific Coast trade.

Princes Irene, previously a passenger liner,

Had oil fired boilers and geared

Turbines - at anchor in the Medway off Port

Victoria in process of bring refitted - eighty

Shipwrights and riveters on board.

 At 11.15 a.m. explosions sent columns

Of smoke with arching flames,

300 feet - heard at a distance the town

Shook - other ships felt the blast as men

Elsewhere suffered injuries.

Debris scattered over a vast distance

When the cloud of smoke

Dispersed, nothing was left of vessel -

Other than some floating debris - only

One body was recovered.

The dead man Identified as Mr Turner

Of Luton - an assumption

Was that others might not be found -

Injuries on other ships resulted from

Falling splintered debris.

The wind had been blowing north easterly,

Carrying the concussion

Of explosion, some five miles - at Upchurch

Overlooking the Medway reacted in part

Of the church tower to fall.

Ten miles to Sittingbourne, to shake houses

Of the town - as glass fronted

Shops shattered, ceilings fell down in some

Cases - as girls of county school hurried

From their buildings.

One woman fainted in thought of Zeppelin raid -

Elsewhere at Maidstone,

Swing doors flew open and other elements

Thrown from the ship were caught in the wind;

A cloud of papers -

Blown to travel twelve miles inland the paper

Rained on villages of Maidstone

Teston, Barming and Allington - with witness

To navel signal forms and other papers - some

Splashed with lead.

A total of 352 lives were found to be lost -

To include a farmhand who had

Died from shock, a girl of nine hit by debris

On Isle of Grain - where severed heads

Were also found lying about.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Liner Blown Up at Sheerness – Great Loss of Life. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 28 May. P.9. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11631036/Daily-Telegraph-May-28-1915.html [Accessed: 28 May 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 28 May 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11631036/Daily-Telegraph-May-28-1915.html

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

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Poem ~ Attack on Venice - Thursday, 27 May 1915

Impression sketch Italians on Venice roof aiming skywards - by Jamie. Original image can be seen at: http://www.loeildelaphotographie.com/2014/11/21/exhibition/26666/venezia-defends-itself-1915-1918-casa-dei-tre-oci-venezia

In France, experiences of bombs,

Falling from planes

Had become commonplace,

Over cities and towns -

But for Italy this was a novelty.

Across Italy and in Milan,

Told in Venetian

And Milanese papers, details

Of Austrians started

Attempts at Italian vandalism.

The age-old city of Venice

Was asleep at 3.30 a.m.

When steam whistles awoke

The people-along with

Sound of a loud signal boom.

A Taube was seen heading

Towards the city,

As all rushed outside to see

In the grey dawn,

To take on a new part history.

With a signal fire in the sky

Of Venice saw a new

Aspect with shots from Arial

Guard station guns

Of rifles and machines aimed.

For forty five minutes the Taube

Hovered safely above

The spitting gunnery, dropping

Four bombs On Venice

And seven places in the waters.

A bomb fell to San Luca - another

At the Rio del Carmini -

As two hit courtyard of Colonna

A Castelpo on Tana,

Near Rio della Tana, with effect.

The Taube monoplane remained

Under fire from batteries -

To dot the sky with white marks

Of shells, as crowds

On Piazzas and balconies cheered.

In front of the Castello windows

Exploded to cause

Injuries to four women who were

Taken to Santa Anna

Hospital  - causing excitement.

On the ground, bridges crowded,

Cheering as if at a fete -

The plane finally taking flight

To shouts of 'Evviva!'

And 'Evviva Le Mitragliatrice!'

by Jamie Mann.

Beaumont, A., 1915  Aeroplane Raid on Venice - Four Bombs Dropped - Little Damage Done. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 27 May. P.9. Col.2. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11631026/Daily-Telegraph-May-27-1915.html [Accessed: 27 May 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 27 May 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11631026/Daily-Telegraph-May-27-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Italy