Poem ~ Collier Rams Submarine - Wednesday, 3 March 1915

Source: File: A German submarine of the UB Class in rough seas.jpg, 2015. The History Place - World War I Timeline - 1915 - German U-Boat Action. [online] Available at: <http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/firstworldwar/ger-uboat.htm

The History Place - World War I Timeline - 1915 - German U-Boat Action> [Accessed: 3 March 2015].

Once more, a tale of sea warfare

Comes via Weymouth - how

A civil coasting steamer on Sunday

28 February was in the English

Channel in the early hours,

To be targeted by enemy intent.

Commissioned by the Bolton Thoradis

Shipping Company, Coal exporters -

A Collier built in a Norway shipyard

Arrived for her working life, in the port

Of Newcastle.

From the Tyne, aptly named Thoradis

Took her maiden voyage as a collier.

With her crew under their given Captain

John William Bell.

Registered to carry 290 tons, Thoradis

Was loaded with coal - the steamer

Leaving Blyth, headed for Plymouth.

With the seas about the British coast

Vulnerable to enemy attacks, look outs

Kept watch on deck.

With vigilance maintained on the Thoradis'

Maiden mission it was at a point, about

Some ten miles off Beachy Head, that

A submarine presence was spotted,

By its periscope.

Alarm raised, the crew on deck of Thoradis,

Saw the indicator, showing the underwater

Craft was closing in - expecting the worst,

They prepared a boat.

With hands about the sides of the Thoradis,

They watched the submarine's periscope

Movements in the water – then in sudden

Alteration of a course, a torpedo wake was

Seen heading starboard.

The crew called out to the bridge of Thoradis

Indicating an intention to hit - by urgent action

Captain Bell ordered a manoeuvre of the ship -

Which, in quick time the new collier avoided

The underwater missile.

Captain Bell, on the bridge of the Thoradis,

Saw the crew indicating the underwater trail.

The seaway was heavy, as the Captain

Thought a heavy thought - both craft were

In close proximity – he decided that he would

Hit the enemy vessel, to either damage

Or sink the submarine.

The captain gave the helm of the Thoradis

The order - the steerer overcame caution

Sharply turned the collier about, so the prow

Lifted into the heavy swell – the crew below

In ignorance, held on.

With the collier riding the wave, the Thoradis

Lifted momentarily in air above the trough -

Below the upper part of the submarine was

exposed – realisation of what they were about

To do - the crew braced.

The prow went down and under the Thoradis

Was a great crash of platage - under scraping

Of metal the enemy submersible dipped away,

Leaving a covering of oil on the waves –

In making their recovery, the cheery male crew

Waved to the bridge.

With great relief Captain Bell hoped the Thoradis

Would be able to survive - he gave orders to turn

The sturdy steamer about to Weymouth to check

For damage and report enemy activity - placed

Into dry dock the collier was to stay, until when

It was decided on a £1160 reward.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. German Submarine – Rammed by Collieroff Beachy Head – Sea Covered with Oil. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 3 Mar. p.2. Col.3. Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11440731/Daily-Telegraph-March-3-1915.html [Accessed: 9th March  2015].

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

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11440731/Daily-Telegraph-March-3-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1North Sea

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

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1KingGeorge

Poem ~ Marching on Their Stomachs - Monday, 1 March 1915

Source: File: A First World War British Red Cross ambulance.jpg, 2015. British Red Cross First World War. 1 March 1915. [online] Available at: <http://blogs.redcross.org.uk/tag/first-world-war/page/4/> [Accessed: 1 March 2015].

Taking place on 27 February,

At the very heart of London -

Was a march on Saturday,

Under the directive command

Of Colonel Broome Giles.

The Guildhall saw the men

Of British Red Cross Society,

To number 300, paraded -

After which they passed

Through the capital's streets.

Their route march took them

To Regents Park  - as they led

A motor field kitchen  - along

With five motor ambulances.

The sharp appearance of men

Made for much attention.

Undertaking drill in the park,

The Kitchen motor was then

Put to use for the first time -

Providing them with 'meat tea,'

Prepared on the march and drill.

A meal was served to the men

Making up to 300 servings

Of soup, roast potatoes, beef

And bread and butter  - to be

Finished with coffee and tea.

The motor field kitchen, being

Put to the test, was equipped

To cook and easily provide

Meals, for up to 100 at a time -

Even managing with the 300

Marching men in the park.

With those that had enlisted

Into the Red Cross City division,

Three detachments of men -

And a women's detachment-

Made convoys for the injured -

With 162 men gone to the front.

This Red Cross division, had

Dealth with transport of wounded

Within London  - and provided

Service to military authorities -

Assisting the officer's Hospital

At the Hall of Fismongers.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. City Red Cross – Motor Field Kitchen. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 01 Mar. p.5. Col.5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11432667/Daily-Telegraph-March-1-1915.html [Accessed: 01 March 2015].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 01 March 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11432667/Daily-Telegraph-March-1-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1London