Poem ~ Tunnel Ambitions - Monday, 6 November 1916 - Wednesday, 8 November 1916

Source: File: plan to build a double Channel tunnel. See an original image at: <http://www.railwaywondersoftheworld.com/channel-tunnel.html> [Accessed 06 November 2016]

Prior press releases had well discussed

The likelihood of a tunnel being built;

From the English coast of chalky downs,

To pass beneath the sea and rise again

On French soil - emerging between Calais

Or Boulogne - all to help the war efforts.

The leader of these plans for a channel

Tunnel given to Sir Frances Fox - totally

Confident of ambitious plans feasibility -

Just to consider the existence of tubes

Beneath London, or the 1903 railroad

Simpson tunnel in Pennsylvania, USA.

Alongside technicalities of construction

Came argumentation over safeguarding

The tunnel's completion - Although

The channel tunnel's existence was little

More than paper blueprints, came evolving

Discussion on the idea of its destruction.

The debate of a report carried forward

By Telegraph's engineer correspondent.

Historically, there had been a long desire

For the creation of linking together Britain

And France - prior opposition had been

Raised by Field Marshal Wolseley.

While Wolseley had died a year prior to 
1914 world war, Garnet Wolseley put out

His theory that any such passage link,

Would be quite 'calamitous' for England -

He suggested an ever-present peril from

A continental army, seizing the tunnel.

At that time Edward Watkin had dreamed

The ideal of a rail line Manchester to Paris,

That began in 1880 - but big opposition

From figures like Wolseley and the Queen

Caused the ideas cancellation, for purposes

Of national security; arguments resumed.

Times changed, as came in a reminder

That in Wolseley's peak how poison gas

Was not known, or uses of high calibre

Explosives - electricity was then in its

Infancy; while no one could then have

Imagined armoured tanks carrying guns.

The new prospect had taken on a solid

Formation by Channel Tunnel committee,

Created within the House of Commons -

British Prime Minster Asquith had called

For a review in the light of experiences

Due to the war, from the war committee.

Supporter of the tunnel, Arthur Fell MP;

A figure that had previously produced

A paper for the tunnel in 1913 - in 1916

Led a delegation of MPs before Asquith,

Advising that many military oppositions

Had 'practically disappeared' off scene.

Governmental military advisers were

Well satisfied such a tunnel could not

Be used in any armed invasion against

Britain. A discussion then centered

On how the tunnel might be rendered

Unusable, for purposes against invaders.

The simplest of ideas would be to flood

The entrance over a short length - close

To the English coast there would be

A 'V' shaped dip, into which water could

Be filled by electric sluice gates - operated

Not just by Dover forts but from London.

Even a rat would not be able to pass,

And this would stop complete damage.

Their first plan had been to blow tunnel

Roof, to let water flood the whole length -

Originally a viaduct entry would be built,

Leading from the cliffs into the tunnel.

In emergency British war ships could

Blow this construction, in order to halt

Any enemy using the tunnel - yet since

The submarine came into service this

Idea was dropped - as any submarine

Could easily destroy such a viaduct.

A further consideration from such

Submarines was an attack actually

On the seabed, by laying of mines.

A hole might be blown, allowing the

Channel waters to flood the tunnel;

Likely thwarted by 100 feet of chalk.

Due to water pressure at that depth

Any explosion would be less effective

Than if on land - an additional plan

Of engineers focused on the French

Coastline where the tunnel opened;

Though positioned 4 miles inland.

The jurisdiction of protection would

Still be guarded by gunnery of British

Fleet - with consideration by engineers

To French side, regarding inland attacks;

to recall how first months had been threats

On Calais, targeted by German invaders.

New plans suggested making the land

Around the tunnel access into some

Type of fortress as a last stand -

To aid English side to put into action

All preventative measures - in addition

A French power station would assist.

Being able to supply electricity part

Way into the tunnel - they could

Halt any rogue trains trying to enter

The route by a switch; while a British

Power station would be out of range

Of enemy, being 20 miles inland.

Engineer Sir Frances Fox believed

That within 6 years the tunnel would

Be completed; a straightforward build,

To total £8,000,000 for English share.
With a ventilation system simpler than
London tubes, travel was 30 minutes.

The underlying suggestion seemed

To indicate that war with Germany

Would likely last, well beyond when

The tunnel would be operational; into

At least six more years of war. To add

France had no fears from the tunnel.

In the commons the discussions

Of the proposition in connecting

England to the continent came via

A reminder by Mr Fell to Asquith -

That peace with France had lasted

100 years, to be so for much longer.

To note rate of scientific progression,

By fifty or 100 more years to 2016,

No one could make any prophecy

As to what in future needs might be,

In protection from threats above, or

Below the sea or even from the air.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Channel Tunnel - Invasion Risks - Engineering Safeguards. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 06 November 1916. P.4. Col.3. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213599/Daily-Telegraph-November-6-1916.html> [Accessed: 06 November 2016].

Source: File: Edward Watkin. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Watkin> [Accessed 06 November 2016]

Source: File: Garnet Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garnet_Wolseley,_1st_Viscount_Wolseley> [Accessed 06 November 2016]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 06 November 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213599/Daily-Telegraph-November-6-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Spy Stories - Saturday, 9 January 1915

A Catholic French Priest - in role of teacher

At Walmer - informs his family at Chambery,

Of his encounter with a German spy –

At Deal, Naval Hospital, Kent, the priest

Made a visit, to wounded Belgian soldiers.

Among these men he met a sergeant -

An intelligent and expert draughtsman -

On leaving the Hospital as a convalescent

The sergeant took a transfer to Folkestone,

Where he met the priest once again.

The sergeant lay under cloud of depression,

Telling how his children Wife and Father

Had been shot by Germans - the tragedy,

This, he stated, came from a friend at Liege –

The man, being in an agitated state, vowed

He would kill any German he encountered.

A week later, again at the Naval Hospital,

The priest spoke to a nurse who asked

If he recalled how he had taken an interest

In the wounded Belgian man - whose

Profession had been a draughtsman.

The nurse informed him how the man had

Been taken to Calais, three days previously.

At the port the Sergeant was then proved

To be a fraud, when he faced the actual

Belgium soldier - whose true identity,

History, papers and name, he had taken.

Being proved a spy he was promptly shot.

Another spy tale came from Bordeaux -

Willy Sattler was German but spoke good

Fluent French – in Paris he frequented

The war office and when the government

Moved to Bordeaux, he followed.

While precautions had been made to curb

Any possible deeds of spies - Willy Slater

Gained entry into where Ministry of War -

Then based in Faculty Of Letters - caught,

It turned out that Willy Sattler was in fact

A NCO in 79^th German Infantry Regiment.

Court-martialled, he was sentenced to death.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Enterprising Spies – Caught and Shot. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 9 Jan. P.10. Col 7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11331132/Daily-Telegraph-January-9-1915.html [Accessed: 9 January 2015].

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

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11331132/Daily-Telegraph-January-9-1915.html

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

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Poem ~ Haven of Calais - Sunday, 27 December 1914

A place in Northern France,

That played a pivotal role,

Perhaps forgotten or taken

For granted - yet deserving

Of recognition - was the

Coastal port town of Calais.

With the drawing close of

Five months of battle and war,

Calais stood firm and resolute -

Determined and resourceful.

Protective with kind people.

The invaders from Germany

Had not gained their objective

Of the port - since the crisis

Point of October had passed -

With forces of allied armies

Beyond the towns defences,

Held back enemy advances.

While German troops edged

Their way down - Their planes

Dropped bombs onto the town -

Yet made little or no success -

As Calais people stayed calm,

Throughout the German push.

On a small corner of France,

Calais held an age long link,

Across narrow waters to British

Shores - Calais before war

was a place for travellers -

Who could meet the Paris

Express – not to forget Calais

Had its own unique industries -

Being a leading manufacturer,

And centre of lace makers.

A setback occurred to this

Industry, with the designers

Of lace - being young men -

Answering a call to arms,

Halted much production.

The small, significant port

Calais was home to 70,000.

After commencement of war

This part of French coastline,

Became a place of transience -

To welcome more than 200,000.

As a fulcrum of movement,

The port of Calais found itself

A centre of news and stories,

From battles raging northwards -

As over previous months, Calais

Became as a beacon drawing

Fleeing people to place of safety.

From summers unfolding fights,

Across French, Belgium borders,

Frightened people fled homes,

As fugitives from Lille, Roubaix,

Tourcoing and Armentieres -

Followed by many other places.

Carrying what possessions

They could, enforced refugees

Came, travelling by whatever

Way they could – in wagons,

Motors, trains - with thousands

On foot calm, -stoic Calais,

Felt the great tread of refugees.

As some biblical tale, peoples

Told of German atrocities -

So too did the next exodus,

That came Calais’s way -

As Ostend, Antwerp and

Ghent fell aside to onslaught.

As the sun arose daily, came

A river of displaced people.

With all the stories they were

Told - Calais was prepared -

Should the worst come - still,

As a population nearly tripled,

Calais could not be shaken.

An enormous task was taken,

In accommodating refugees

Somehow peacefully - this

Was done – all hotels, inns

And houses quickly filled.

Their plight also found a job

For any street boy, who could

Run from house to house -

For a penny - to find rooms

For the strangers - As hours

Moved on other boys appear,

Volunteering their parents

Homes, for a temporary stay.

Thousands each night bedded

Down, and Calais slept to shelter

Grateful refugees from the late

Autumn rains and early winter -

While rested, they would awake

With the needs of sustenance.

Foodstuffs could be in sudden

Short supply and provisions

Of tobacco and matches, sugar

And chocolate ran out – 

As in whiskey for visitors, whose

Voices gave away their nation.

Whiskey, that had once been

Cheaper in Calais than England,

Forced needs of raised expense.

Still the feisty port managed,

And this population were fed.

In undertaking its provider role

The little tight-knit Port of Calais,

Was also to serve the wounded.

And buildings of a public nature,

As in Lycee des Jeunes Filles.

Became as British hospitals.

Battles raged about the Yser

And Ypres, - when at their height

Came 7,000 wounded – on one

Day four ships conveyed some

1,800 injured to Britain - In mix

Of nationalities Belgian soldiers,

Arrived at the Port's hospitals.

On two occasions Calais town

Was visited by Royal visitors.

The King and Queen of Belgium

Arrived to see their wounded –

Already Calais developed a feel

Of a Belgium principality. 

Flanders Flemish being widely

spoken In the streets - as many

Employed Gendarmes wore

uniforms of the Belgium forces.

To welcome royalty, the flag

Of Belgium met the sovereignty -

Giving an illusion of their country.

With a need to control the flow

Of people, driven from their homes,

Were organised arrangements,

To move the transient populations

southwards, to other towns. 

The Mayor, Msieur Morieux, had been

Called to join mobilisation, but then

Military authority felt with importance

Being placed upon the port of Calais,

That instead of duty as artillery gunner,

He was to remain as mayor - with rank

Given, of '2ème canonnier servant.'

German soldiers did get to Calais

But only arriving as prisoners,

Waiting to be moved further south -

So the little port of Calais, resilient

And protected, witnessed months

Of unfolding war - giving transient

Population’s food and shelters and

Proved itself solid - holding its own.

by Jamie Mann.

Beaumont, A., 1914. The Struggle for the Port of Calais – Industry and War – Problem of Refugees. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 26 Dec. p.8. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11310971/Daily-Telegraph-December-26-1914.html [Accessed: 27 December 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 27 December 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11310971/Daily-Telegraph-December-26-1914.html

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

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