Impression sketch
for An Officer's Advice - by Jamie.
Edward Poulton ALMACK.
Captain, Royal Horse Artillery. Died 25.1.1916. Buried at ALBERT COMMUNAL
CEMETERY EXTENSION, GRAVE I B 8, SOMME, FRANCE. He is also
commemorated on the Brentwood War Memorial, Essex.
i
Early 1916 - about the area of Amiens
And Albert, France, an
Officer of Royal Horse Artillery, Captain
Edward Poulton Almack,
Addressed the reader of his letter; any
Newly commissioned officer.
The purpose of his writing, reminded
Everyman of their entry
Into imminent serious soldiering -
Without apology, the idea
Behind his word was a guideline in
The making of an officer.
The outline of his lecture he admits
No pretence - 'not what
I do, or pretend to do, or even try
Very hard to do - with no
Conscious or unconscious standards,
He would be a poor officer.'
With Captain Almack's words to this
Effect, an officer works
24 hours over seven days - each
Day an officer’s duties
Are never complete; but unlikely to be
Hard at it for every moment.
The first responsibility for the officer
Are the men then the horses -
After these two an officer comes third -
All to be cared for; 'your need
Is to do all you can for best comforts
Of everyone about you.'
Do as much as possible for men
Horses and brother officers -
If a fellow officer is out working
In the wet, ensure a fire
Is ready for him - or even a hot
Bath is prepared on
His timed return, by his servant.
'Do not do little' - to add
that
Officer's dinners are
Kept readied for their arrival.
Old soldiering by
'Putting ones nose in is a devil.'
With comforts done
Everyman should pull together.
Officers and men are all in that
Same boat - A 'Masters
Eyes Makes the horse fat.' quoted
Captain Almack - that
Good results are made if looked
After - a rule; to keep
Eyes on everything yet leave alone.
The officer's men are unified
To beat the enemy -
'Insist of the best in everything
Done' - but 'if
there
Is nothing to do, then do nothing;'
Allow the men a day
Off, to gain their confidence.
As a captain of horse artillery,
Almack advises
How, in wet weather, the officer
Needs to be willing
To show any picket of soldiers
His all-weather ability,
By going round tethered horses.
On a wet night a captain should
Turn about the lines -
What expectations of the men
To be out all night
In any type of weather? if their
Commander does
Not show willing for half an hour?
His duty is to take that extra
Distance about area,
To see that any raised issue
Is put right - or just
To say good night to the sentry -
Not to try and catch any
non commissioned officer out.
Captain Almack's small lecture
Summary is to say,
That the best way to make
A good soldier, is to
Tell him that he is a fine fellow;
While cannot deny
That there are 'rotters' about.
Captain Almack's eight years
Service had barely
Averaged two arrests a year -
While he states this
Might be dull purpose, to know
How some young men
Have odd ideas of officer ideals.
Ending on a good luck note,
Captain Almack
Stated there were few officers
As role models -
That his note might just assist
An attentive reader,
To achieve their true 'officership.'
An officer that had been serving
Some year’s prior to war,
Captain Edward Poulton Almack
Was killed in action -
25 January 1916 to - lay at Albert
Communal cemetery
Carrying out his duty to the end.
Might someone then one day,
Passing that way,
Visit grave I B 8, there to lay
A cross or poppy
Before this Captain's headstone;
For the memory
Of an Edward Poulton Almack.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916.
Making of a Officer - Some Golden Advice. The Daily Telegraph,
[online] 21 April 1916.
P.9. Col.2. Available at:
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12209084/Daily-Telegraph-April-21-1916.html> [Accessed: 21 April 2016].
Source: File:
Captain Edward Poulton Almack . Online. Available at:
<https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/lifestory/36828> [Accessed 21 April
2016]
Mann, J., 2016.
100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 21 April
2016).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1France
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