In defence of the French
frontier,
The 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards,
Was involved in the heavy fighting.
A son of a Baronet, Lieutenant Lloyd,
Fought with the Guards Regiment -
To experience the desperate
Conditions, to hold the allied lines.
Becoming detached within the conflict,
From his regiment, Lieutenant Lloyd
Was then suffering great fatigue.
Straying from day into night,
He knew the risks of exposure.
In darkness, the Lieutenant luckily
Found shelter, in an isolated outhouse.
Reported as missing, Lieutenant Lloyd
Was assumed dead by the war office.
In fact, suffering with exhaustion,
The man remained asleep in that hut,
For almost three days.
On discovery of the officer,
It was found he had been saved
From exposure, by a feline friend –
A lucky cat had been found,
Curled up, about his neck.
Without such attended warmth,
It was felt Lieutenant Lloyd would
Have quietly, and slowly perished.
Subsequently the War Office -
Amended its previous statement
To say Lieutenant Lloyd was alive.
On the story of his son’s rescue,
By the comforts of a French cat,
Sir Marteine Lloyd, 2nd Baronet,
Speaking at Llangynllo for aid
Of Belgian refugee - proudly told
Of his son’s escape from death.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1914. Saved by a
Cat. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 10 Dec. p.5. Col.1. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11283535/Daily-Telegraph-December-10-1914.html [Accessed: 10 December 2014].
Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 10 December 2014).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered
