Welshman John Jones, also known
As William, Thomas or Daniel -
Had been a young miner from Cardiff,
Traveling to London to join the
army.
In making recruitment of soldiers,
The practice involved handing out -
On receipt of a man's signature -
An amount of money, which would
Act as a seal on the deal - this
fact
Prompted some to seek illegal gains.
On Friday morning, 8 January,
Mr Jones arrived and stepped
Into the Whitehall Recruiting
Headquarters - here he enlisted
Into the Royal Engineers -
On signing the Testimony form,
He was given payment of 1s 6d.
On Friday afternoon Mr Jones
Walked into the Marylebone
Depot - wanting to sign again,
Once again for Royal Engineers.
Suspicions were quickly raised,
By eagle eyed recruiting Officer,
A Major Henry Mansford.
Being searched, forms were found
In his possession,being received
Earlier at Whitehall - Mansford
Realised that this Mr Jones had
Already signed up previously,
On varied visits about the country.
Detective Frost indicated how,
The arrested also had on him,
Papers from Durham - where
On 5 January, he had enlisted
In the Royal Garrison Artillery -
To gain 3s 6d – this miner,
Being unemployed, was found
To have 15s 6d - probably gained
From travels about the country.
At the Marylebone Police Court on
Saturday, Mr Jones was charged,
With making fraud - under sentence,
Mr Paul Taylor said, such conduct
Was disreputable and unpatriotic.
Using Mr Jones as example to any
Thinking of committing such fraud,
Was given six months hard labour.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Bogus Recruits – Frauds on the War
Office. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 11 Jan. P.3. Col.3. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11336243/Daily-Telegraph-January-11-1915.html
[Accessed: 11 January 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 11 January 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered
