Poem ~ Villages Devastated - Friday, 20 April 1917

Source: File: The destruction of the church in Moÿ-de-l'Aisne, February 1917. Available at: <http://02610.moy.free.fr/Moydelaisne/02610.moy/Infos/Municipalite/Moyquand/N23/Lanciers.html> 
[Accessed 18 April 2017]

With the western front in France,

Reaching its 35th week in 3rd

Year of war, devastation of lives

Of the population had no conclusion.

Between the invasion of Germany

Taking over ground of Aisne

And reunification of that area,

Came reports of great annihilation.

Making a visitation of the retaken

Region, Chairman of the Aisne

Refugee Committee D.Camp,

Learned of systematic destruction.

Eleven French towns and villages

Were wiped off the map -

The occupiers had used

Variations of means in process.

Battering rams had been built

To destroy ancient town

Walls; dynamite, petrol tar

All employed to take down houses.

Exteriors of churches still stood

But all contents taken,

Graveyards lay broken -

Opened vaults emptied to bury own.

Some 25 miles from Laon town,

Lay Ugny le Gay - little

More than a hamlet

Of 234 people, lay in persecution.

Germans made tax of exactions.

First demanded monies

February 1915; £140.00 -

The same demand again in August.

September 1915 saw how the Mayor

Of Ugny le Gay and others

Were imprisoned, until

Payment of £500.00 were handed over.

October 1915, £200 fee equivalent

In francs was demanded -

12 months later, October

1916, another extortion sum of £1500.

When finally the Germans were forced

From the area, the people

Found their possessions

Had been seized, pillaged and abused.

Young girls of the village were taken

Away - villagers disinterred as

Germans set homes on fire

Destroying machinery and fruit trees.

Any French people who returned to their

Villages, would have struggled

To see where their homes had

Once stood; to see crushed stone piles.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. Devastated France. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 9 April March 1917. P.6. Col.5. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214440/Daily-Telegraph-April-9-1917.html> [Accessed: 20 April 2017].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 20 April 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214440/Daily-Telegraph-April-9-1917.html

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

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Poem ~ Bullet Proof Tunic - Wednesday, 28 June - 1916

Source: File: Advert - The Bullet-Proof Jacket. [online] See an original image at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12211605/Daily-Telegraph-June-28-1916.html>[Accessed: 28 June 2016]

A long established company,

Whose origins lay as far back

As 1772, in the making of guns

And weapons; the name

Wilkinson Sword Co Ltd.

Their address of 53 Pall Mall,

London, SW, had a reputation

For keenest blades of combat

Knives - also known

As military outfitters.

In talent for their sharpest blade,

Wilkinson Sword had also made

Developments in the handgun -

The Webley and Scott

Self-loading models.

The evolution of modern warfare

Had not just affected weaponry,

But uniform development -

As in steel helmets

Against shrapnel.

June 1916, an advert appeared,

To claim Wilkinson's new bullet

Proof, khaki jacket for officers -

To make for greater,

Protective efficiency.

In a heading, for tunic's resistance 

Against '455 Government revolver

Bullet, from a 20 yards distance,
This patented tunic

Reduced wounds.

The tunic structure would halt most 

Injuries from shell fire - that if not

Fatal, to leave wearer absent

From duty over

Period of weeks.

The secret was with the lining,

Made of high tempered steel -

Whose distribution of weight,

Would conceal any

Heaviness on wearer.

This bullet proof uniform tunic,

Would be of same appearance

As any other military clothing -

Fitted by an expert

For full comfort.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Advert - The Bullet-Proof Jacket. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 28 June 1916. P.7. Col.4. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12211605/Daily-Telegraph-June-28-1916.html>[Accessed: 28 June 2016].

Source: File: A Brief History of Wilkinson Sword Online. Available at: <http://www.wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/Wilkinson_a_brief_history.html> [Accessed 28 June 2016]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 28 June 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12211605/Daily-Telegraph-June-28-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ War Marriage Mishap - Sunday, 12 March 1916

Impression sketch for War Marriage Mishap - by Jamie.

i

Sanderson versus Sanderson,

Had involve a Mr Graham in case

Of wronged marriage - the woman

At the centre had given her address;

Clarges Street, Mayfair in London.

The woman Vivian Hesse Graham,

Had made Acquaintance of Lieutenant

Edward Lloyd Sanderson - a young

Man of an upstanding Yorkshire family.

In June 1915 stationed at Thetford.

During home leave Edward Sanderson

Met Vivian, then quickly developing

Fondness for the young lady - leading

Them to stay at a Norwich Hotel,

In name of Mrs and Mrs Sanderson.

The couple later stayed at Caterham,

In Kent - Edward believed her name

To be Lavender Vivian Souray - within

A short time he asked her to marry

Him; but his parents quizzed her past.

ii

There followed a letter from his

Father asked Edward to end all

Relations with Sourly - yet Edward

Was too much in love to obey,

Or consider his parents wishes.

Vivian and Edward's Summer of

Love resulted in a letter to the father,

About the anonymous document

He had received - Lavender Souray

Told him of her utter innocence.

They mysteriously denied any ability

To authorise elements of their proof -

Lavender reiterated her surprise

Of their son, being so much in love

With her - advising he be given time.

iii

Time for his affections to abate -

to state their closeness could not

Harm him and how he would surely

Be broken hearted to leave her so

Soon - she asked pardon of errors.

Lavender admitted how a marriage

With their son Lloydie, could not

Happen - giving her suitor a surprise,

She admitted her marriage to a man

Hugh Graham, serving in Dardanelles.

Able Seaman Hugh Merton Graham,
Had been wounded, serving in Gallipoli,

29 August 1915 - yet it was not until

20 September his next of kin became

Informed, seeing his name in papers.

By date of early September, Vivian

Told Edward an admiralty telegram

Stated her husband as dead - with

Belief Edward asked her to Norwich

Where they were to be married.

iV

In a condition of their marriage

Vivian would keep her own name -

So she signed register as Souray.

The day was 23 September, the

Lieutenant was 27 and Vivian 21.

In learning of the wedding Edward's 

Parents were dismayed, having looked

Into the brides past, thad discovered

She had lived under various names -

Leading a wandering manner of life.

All was not as it should seem -

Finally matters came to a head,

Before Mr Justice Bargrave Deane.

Edwards’s wife admitted to him

Her name; Yvonne Vivian Souray.

Her profession had been as actress

On a London stage - the hearing

Then heard how her first husband,

Had in fact recovered of wounds, 

Back on duty by 4 October 1915.

Corroboration for the fact of Graham

Living, came from his sister and a letter

From him, dated 17 January 1916 -

George Bostock of Royal Navy Record

Office, confirmed the man was alive.

V

Then Lieutenant Sanderson petitioned

For their marriage to be annulled,

As a result of facts - the plea of Vivian

Sanderson being, she was induced

To go though their marriage ceremony.

The officer's parents having learned

Of the wedding taking place, became

Distraught - when their son heard

The proof of their enquiries, Edward

Requested the nullity on 4 December.

Miss Souray first married Mr Graham,

20 January then 23 September 1915

Married Mr Sanderson, while her first

Husband was still living - Mr Justice

Pronounced decree nisi and nullity:

Both parties met in total agreement.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Girl's Two Marriages - Singular Nullity Suit. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 12 March 1916. P.5. Col.4-5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12183691/Daily-Telegraph-March-8-1916.html [Accessed: 12 March 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 12 March 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12183691/Daily-Telegraph-March-8-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Czech Censure - Wednesday, 6 October 1915

Source: File:  Milan I de Serbia.jpeg, [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan_I_of_Serbia> 

Accessed: 6 September 2015].

Based in Sofia the Sobranje, legislature

Of Bulgaria, was to receive a telegram

By a British based Czech National Alliance.

The Sobranje President heard concerns

From Czechs, residing in the countries

Of Russia, France, England and America.

Those who represented Bulgarian people

Would hopefully hear and listen to those

Voices from their Czech Slavonic Brethren.

Unification had been in existence over

Many years, both intellectually, as well

As in previous alliance against Turkey.

While emphasis was to wish Bulgarian

Nation well, they found hard to conceive

How they might raise arms against Slavs.

They had made themselves believe that

Bulgarian Government's view was tactical,

But dangerous, due to prior experience.

Bulgaria was aware of Slavs treatment

By Germany and Austria-Hungary -

So why align selves with those nations?

Had they forgotten Austrophile Policy

Formed by King Milan? Bulgaria would

Merely become a tool of German allies.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Warning From Czechs. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 6 October. P.10. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11902203/Daily-Telegraph-October-6-1915.html [Accessed: 6 October 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 6 October 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11902203/Daily-Telegraph-October-6-1915.html

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

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Poem ~ To Save Another - Tuesday, 5 October 1915

Impression sketch of Private Goodhind's rescue - by Jamie.

The Commanding officer

Of T. Goodhind - being a Private

In the Somerset Light Infantry -

Had need of writing to mother

At Cathay Bristol, of her soldier.

He had to inform this mother,

Of the man’s sad death - to say

He would have recommended

him for a VC award, had he lived.

Private Goodhind had been

Part of support, moving after

An attacking Brigade - their line

Was to be driven back under

Heavy, enemy pounding fire.

Between the lines they heard

A wounded, blinded man to call

Help - Private Goodhind did

Not hesitate, acting instantly.

On reaching him he dressed

The wounds - taking up the man

Private Goodhind then began

To carry him back - but before

Safety, he fell in a shell blast.

The commanding officer signed

To Goodhind's mother, sincere 

Sympathy and assured his family,

How he died to save another life.  

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. A Life's Sacrifice. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 5 October. P.10. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11902190/Daily-Telegraph-October-5-1915.html [Accessed: 5 October 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 5 October 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11902190/Daily-Telegraph-October-5-1915.html

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

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