Poem ~ Hoax Acid Bombs - Sunday, 18 July 1915

Source: File: The American Machinist logo.jpg. A popular American trade magazine published since 1877. The Original can be seen at: http://blacksmithandmachineshop.com/American-Machinist-1884-pg1-and-16.html 
[Accessed:  18 July 2015].

An unauthorized advertisement,

Came to light from 'American Machinist'-

Having been quoted about

The United States that related

A supposed new, brutal explosive.

Originating on May 6 1915, from

The Cleveland Automatic Machine Company,

Finally reaching attention

Of His Majesty's Government

With explosive effects description.

The wording of the supposed

Weapon, states how this is material is made

Of High tensile strength,

To fracture into tiny pieces,

With the shells final explosion.

Shared with shrapnel shell,

the fuse timer is the same, but the difference

Is within the large cavity

Are two explosive acids, any

Wounds caused lead to  agony

Of a terrible death, after 4 hours.

Without any immediate attention,

The advertisement claimed that conditions

In the trenches, do not allow

Any medical treatment within

The allotted time span - then goes

On to claim that wounds be cauterised.

This action should be immediate

Either to the body or head, or if on any limbs

Amputation would be course -

As there is no apparent antidote

That can counteract the poison, once

The victim has been hit by this explosive.

The American Machinist advert

States, that unlike regular shrapnel wounds,

With fragments or shrapnel

Balls, wounds are believed not

Lethal to muscle unlike the acid bomb.

The false bizarre advertisement

Published independently has no grounding

With intent to give false

Impressions - his majesty's

Government issued denial that

No such weapon had been considered.

 by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. American Shells - A Bogus Advertisement. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 17 July. P.10. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11732107/Daily-Telegraph-July-17-1915.html [Accessed: 18 July 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 18 July 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11732107/Daily-Telegraph-July-17-1915.html

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

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Poem ~ Call for Women Signallers - Sunday, 9 May 1915

Impression sketch of Lady Signallers - by Jamie. 

6 May saw a meeting at the Queen’s Hall,

Of Women Signallers Territorial Corps;

In a demonstration the women showed

Their ability of taking on signaller’s duties.

Earl Kitchener’s sister, Mrs F. E. Parker

Was the Commander in Chief, along with

Lady Glanusk as Hon. President, to work

To release more men onto the firing line.

The women signallers were then a corps

Organised as Territorial’s, based from

London General Headquarters along with

Organisation of secretaries and instructors

Looking for educated women with leisure

Time and wanting ‘to do their bit’ would

Discover variety in signallers work – map

Work is essential, open to ways to learn.

The signaller will learn whistle, lamp, buzzer

Heliograph, air-line, cable, semaphore flags

And mechanical arms and morse code –

All volunteers should like out of doors life.

The need is for physically strong women,

To welcome discomfort  - ready and able

For camp life and able to study ‘Signalling

And Map Reading' by E. John Solano.

Students should buy 2 flags for regulation

Signalling, at 1s 6d each with Telegraph

Morse key, with electrical connections

Or Morse lamp sounder and buzzer set.

To self-fund they can get a 3ft square

Regulation signalling flag, Morse card,

Semaphore card and Eggar Morse card

Altogether 8s, along with an entry fee.

  

A woman on the course would be instructed

In motor driving, riding, despatch carrying,

First aid and shooting revolvers and rifle -

With emphasis on efficient signalling ability.

In semi flattery the statement is that in order

To signal, women with average intelligence

Can learn this easily with satisfaction by

releasing a man and keeping ‘flag flying.’

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Women Signallers. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 May. P.12. Col.1. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11587044/Daily-Telegraph-May-8-1915.html [Accessed: 9 May 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 9 May 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11587044/Daily-Telegraph-May-8-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Women