Poem ~ Fighting Viewed from Imbros - Saturday, 15 May 1915

Source: File: General Headquarters, Imbros, 1915.jpg, 2015. From National Army Museum. [online] Available at: <http://www.army.mod.uk/firstworldwarresources/gallipoli-1915/general-headquarters-imbros-1915> [Accessed: 12 May 2015].

From the Turkey Island of Imbros, Monday News

Spoke of a quiet day about the Dardanelles -

After more than twenty days fights still raged,

For the gains of the Peninsula and Gallipoli coast.

Saturday 8 May, Cape Helles views saw Turkish

Attack - their guns across Asiatic shores,

On land between Dardanus and Ernekeui,

Targeting their fire in the Straits on British ships.

Gunnery on British destroyers made their reply.

With distant rolling boom in retort clouds;

One spat fury - the other back as angry

Vengeful, birds perched on opposing shores.

Midday Monday 10 May, began land battle beyond

The shore ridge of Gaba Tepe - three miles

Away, Ibrahima fired broadside at 1.45 p.m.

Onto Narrows of Boghali Kalessi and Khelia Liman.

Shells hit again and again - until black smoke

Appeared  towards Boghali Kalessi,

Dispersing into the sky - as flashes

Of guns, like a beast spitting fire, shot into air.

The plumes came from about Erenkeui town -

As ships gunnery gave their replies -

The mobile batteries in the Turkish

Town, took their aim on British in the Straits.

The defending retorts of shipping gunnery

Intensified, till 4 p.m. when shells died.

In Turkish defence the Krithia village

Remained on their side, halting their enemy.

From that Peninsula edge, Turkish defenders

Held Seddul Bahr to Cape Suvla -

With 11 May 13,000 wounded Turks

In Constantinople, raised their state of fears.

Figures grew to 40,000 injured, as crowds

Of Turkish women set out onto streets,

Cursing those who sent them to fight;

As Sultan Mahomed considered an abdication.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Dardanelles - Enemy Spirited Attack - Movable Batteries. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 15 May. P.8. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11600375/Daily-Telegraph-May-15-1915.html [Accessed: 15 May 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 15 May 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11034515/Daily-Telegraph-Janauary-1-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Turkey

Poem ~ Identifying the Dead - Wednesday, 12 May 1915

Source: File: Alfred Vanderbilt.jpg, 2015. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alfred_Vanderbilt..JPG> [Accessed: 12 May 2015].

11 May 1915 saw the Steam Tug Poolzee,

Under employ of the Cunard Company,

Take the task to look for victims,

Of the RMS Lusitania.

South of Cape Clear, at about ten miles,

Poolzee came across wreckage,

Along with drifting bodies,

Numbering 17.

All bodies had been wearing their lifebelts.

There were a total of nine men, five

Women and three children;

A girl and two boys.

The Poolzee tug on making their grim,

Recovery conveyed them

Back to Queenstown,

And onto shore.

Using improvised stretchers, one

By one, bodies were placed

In Cunard Wharf Stores,

Laid out in rows.

Once there the identifying began -

Waiting relatives and friends

In enclosed tension looked

On each one for clues.

The bodies, in sea-soaked clothes,

Were examined closely for any

Identifying documents,

Or possessions.

One grieving woman sadly came

Across her sister who had

Left New York, to place

Hyacinths in her hand.

The three children lay to one side,

One of the boys described

As handsome; his wet

Auburn curled hair.

In another row of victims were laid

Mrs Stuart Mason, who had

Recently married from her

Name, Leslie Lindsay.

Other documents carried, identified

Names such as George Cropping

David Chabot, Miss Condon,

And Ernest Hene.

A printed notice about Queenstown,

Requested information over

Two missing children,

From the ship.

Percival Booth Jones and Ailsa

Booth Jones - with blue eyes

And gold hair - likely to be

Those found drowned.

Even more bodies were soon to be

Identified - fetched by the tug

'Flying Fish' - ten bodies

Waiting at Baltimore.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Sad Scenes at Queenstown - Bringing in the Dead. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 12 May. P.10. Col.2. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11593210/Daily-Telegraph-May-12-1915.html [Accessed: 12 May 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 12 May 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11593210/Daily-Telegraph-May-12-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Lusitania

Poem ~ Lusitania Reprisals - Tuesday, 11 May 1915

Impression sketch of German Reprisals - by Jamie. The original can be seen at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/13/anti-german-riots-lusitania-1915-first-world-war (The original photograph shows a mob made up mainly of women and young boys)

Liverpool, where Lusitania had been bound,

Saw reactions on Sunday 9 May - with riots

And frenzied anti German feelings - reprisals

For those many perished relatives and friends.

German shops in Liverpool were ferociously

Attacked, with all furniture and goods inside

Wrecked and thrown into the streets - these

Were made by crowds to number thousands.

In Birkinhead included a vengeful crowd had

Made attack on a shop premises of Schwarb -

The name of pork butchers - equally a German

Owned place in Camden Street was targeted.

All articles were dragged or thrown outside

To be burnt so fire brigade had to be called -

The high numbers of rioters were beyond

Any police control, unable to stop destruction.

Elsewhere similar events occurred at Tyneside

A general German resentment led a dominant

Crowd of women to attack a Byker's Butcher -

To smash windows as occupiers took refuge.

A notice also appeared at the Liverpool Corn

And Cotton Exchange, banning all admission

Of Turks, Austrians and Germans - to coincide

With the foreign membership of Mr H. Kern.

One time German Consul, President, Director

Of the Cotton Association, made a resignation

By telegram, sent from a Sussex Address

Included Mr Kern's saddened statement.

While previously his resignation was not

Accepted, on this occasion the directors

Took this - his feelings to say he was sick

At heart, unable to describe in full words.

 by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Antil German Riots - Scenes in Liverpool - Birkenhead Shop sacked - Newcastle Shop Raided. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 11 May. P.7. Col. 2. Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11593184/Daily-Telegraph-May-11-1915.html [Accessed: 11 May 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 11 May 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11593184/Daily-Telegraph-May-11-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Lusitania