Impression sketch
of Lieutenant Arthur Turnbull's House of Commons protest - by Jamie.
i
In carrying out
the usual business
At the House of
Commons, the act
Of Mr Percy
Harris, taking the oath
Took place, Wednesday
29 March
1916 - the New
Member for Market
Harborough stood
before the table.
Watching from the
Distinguished
Strangers Gallery,
a few public
Members sat above
proceedings -
Mr Harris spoke
of his allegiance
To the crown as
events unfolded.
Among the public,
was a member
Of the R.A.M.C. -
Lieutenant Arthur
Turnbull, who had
started to climb
Unhindered over
balustrade - aside
The clock, to
pause 25 feet above
Bar above the
swing door entrance.
A warning shout
rang out, while
The agile
Lieutenant paused mid-air.
Commons members
below moved
Aside, as the
Lieutenant let go
Of the balustrade
and dropped.
ii
Falling heavily,
Turnbull stumbled
By the Serjeant's
chair. He jumped
Back to his feet,
as members and
Attendants took
hold of him to take
Him to the doors
- he did not resist
As he looked
round to the speaker.
Lieutenant Arthur
Turnbull spoke
Out to the
presiding officer; 'Sir,
I ask you to protect the heads
Of British soldiers from shrapnel
Fire' - before he was removed.
Turnbull was held
in the room
Of the chief
inspector, where a
Doctor examined
him, prior to
Being taken to
Queen Alexandra
Hospital at
Millbank - conveyed
By escorts from
the war office.
As a member of
the Royal Army
Medical Corps,
this Lieutenant
Turnbull was
found to be recently
Returned from service
in Malta,
Lying in the
Mediterranean Sea.
ii
Malta had quickly
become a centre
In treatment for
wounded soldiers;
Named Nurse of the Mediterranean,
With many
hospitals on its shore -
1915 had seen
there Egyptian cases
Of Australians
with venereal diseases.
Through 1915
cases increased from
Gallipoli
campaign - so by August
7,044 patients
could be looked after.
Reduced to 12,000 by March 1916,
As the
Dardanelles campaign waned.
Malta's new phase
of medicine began
Spring 1915, with
soldiers shipped
From Gallipoli -
days voyages carried
Them with
advanced sepsis; phase two
Had been Salonica
forces - until 1916
Surgery, malaria
and dysentery ruled.
'Sir, I ask you to protect the heads
Of British soldiers from shrapnel
Fire.' Had been Turnbull's message,
Whose action was
linked to vigorous
Service in Malta, to lose self control.
Service in Malta, to lose self control.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. Amazing
Scenes In The House Of Commons - Drop From The Gallery. The Daily Telegraph,
[online] 29 March 1916.
P.5. Col.3. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12203520/Daily-Telegraph-March-30-1916.html
[Accessed: 30 March 2016].
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 30 March 2016).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone
#worldwaroneremembered #WW1London
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