Poem ~ Canadian Brothers Lost - Sunday, 15 April 1917 - Monday, 16 April 1917

Source: File: Image of Hubert William Peacock's Commonwealth War Grave headstone, at Lincoln (Newport) Cemetery. Added by: Military Historian. See Original image at: <https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=59978703&PIpi=51556651> [Accessed 12 April 2017]

From the port city of New Brunswick,

Brothers Hubert William Peacock

And Reginald Fawcett Peacock had

Enlisted in Canadian forces - aged

19 Reginald would become a Lance

Corporal, to served New Brunswick

Canadian infantry, A Company.

Reginald followed his older brother

Who had enlisted 5 November,

By 23 days, to join 28 November.

Taking different routes Lance

Corporal Peacock 69743, was killed

Close to Ypres 13 October 1915 -

The cause of his death unknown.

Hubert, older by a year, attached

To the Royal Flying Corps, gained

Rank of second Lieutenant attached

With 45th Squadron - having taken

His wings he became a qualified

Pilot. Stationed in Lincolnshire,

England he took to air 4 April 1917.

While qualified Lieutenant Peacock

Was still increasing flying hours

To build experience - those on the

Ground watched him flying at height

Of some 100 feet - Peacock made

A steep turn and shut off the engine.

Such an act at low height was fatal.

The Lincoln inquest some three

Days later, heard his commanding

Officer state, to shut off an engine

Could only be done at a greater

Altitude - the craft Peacock flew

Had flipped over and nose dived,

Without chance to regain height.

The Second Lieutenant was killed

Outright - the coroner questioned

The officer, to suggest such young

Pilots flew alone before they had

Gained experience - but this was

Denied  - a verdict was accidental

Death saw lost Canadian brothers.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. Flying Fatalities. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 9 April 1917. P.5. Col.4. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214440/Daily-Telegraph-April-9-1917.html> [Accessed: 15 April 2017].

Source: File: Canadian Virtual War Memorial - Hubert William Peacock. Available at: <https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/72073> [Accessed 15 April 2017]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 15 April 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214428/Daily-Telegraph-April-4-1917.html

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

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Poem ~ Major's Misadventure - Monday, 11 December 1916 - Tuesday 12 December 1916

Source: File: Major John Meredith. See an original image at: <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/426338> [Accessed 9 December 2016]

In an army career started before 1914 war,

A Canadian soldier, John Redmond Meredith

Had gradually climbed the ranks to become

A Major, by 1916.

Son of Lady Mary and Sir William Meredith,

Chief Justice of Ontario, was John born 1878;

Schooled at Trinity College Port Hope

And Toronto University.

After final legal education at Osgoode Hall

He joined the law firm of Hellmuth, Cattanach

And Meredith - John Meredith married Miriam

Isadore to reside 45 Binscarth Road.

Into the third month of the European conflict,

October 1914, John Meredith became attached

To the Queens Own Rifles, reaching the rank

Of Lieutenant.

Previous to the war situation Meredith had

Joined 9th Mississauga Horse - whose history

Originated in Toronto Ontario, as Mounted

Rifles from 1901.

Named after first Nations people, Anishinaabe

Subtribe, the Mississaugas had lived on banks

Of Mississagi River - an indigenous people prior

To any European settler.

In reaction to Europe’s war, volunteers formed

The Canadian Expeditionary Force and included

Many coming from 170th Mississauga Horse,

As members of Field Force.

Having gained his qualifications at School

Of Infantry Lieutenant John Meredith,

As part of 95th Battalion, took on the role

Of Overseas Adjutant.

Promotion quickly followed to Junior Major,

For him then to be based in England - After

The Battalion disbanded Major John Meredith

Became involved in officer training.

Major Meredith assigned to Shorncliffe camp

In Kent - where training for soldiers had taken

Place since Napoleonic wars - where Canadian

Troops became based since 1915.

Given leave prior to being stationed in France,

Major John Meredith travelled across to London -

With various acquaintances he stayed in Regent

Palace Hotel, off Regent Street.

Meredith stating he felt slightly ill left his friends 

To return to his room alone - some time later

Around 11 O'clock, Captain O’Brien decided  

To see how he was.

Major Meredith aged 38 had appeared in good 

Health earlier that day, Saturday 25 November;

There were no indications seen by others for

Anything than a slight malady.

Captain O’Brien discovered the officer had died -

An inquest found that Major Meredith overdosed

Having taken a narcotic drug called 'Somnos' -

Seen as a case of misadventure.

A cable sent to Sir William Meredith told

Of his son's sudden death while on active

Service - the real details perhaps never

To be disclosed.

Reasons could only be guessed - Somnos

Being a sedative to allow sleep or reduce

Anxieties - possibly troubled, Major Meredith

Had previously good health.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Day By Day. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 1 December 1916. P.10. Col.6. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213905/Daily-Telegraph-December-1-1916.html> [Accessed: 9 December 2016].

Source: File: Canadian Virtual War Memorial. In memory of Major John Redmond Meredith. Available at: <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/426338> [Accessed 9 December 2016]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 9 December 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213905/Daily-Telegraph-December-1-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ The Guilt of Hyman Coots - Tuesday, 18 January 1916

Impression sketch of Hyman Coots selling forged military passes - by Jamie.

The final trial of fraudster Hyman Coots,

Took place 17 January 1915.

The Monday Marlborough Street Police

Court deciding the case

Of the Russian Jew, a cinematograph actor.

Hyman Coots aged 18, gave his address

Of Lorne Road, Brixton,

In Lambeth, a Borough of South London -

The charge was forging

Military passes and encourage desertion.

In an operation to capture the fraudster,

Three men followed

Orders of Canadian Military Police -

Private Alfred Allen

And two Sergeants, went to his address.

Hyman Coots supplied two military

Leave passes, in exchange

For money from the Sergeants, while

Providing civilian clothes

To Allen in suggesting his desertion.

Head of the military Police Assistant

Provost Marshall,

Captain Hewitt, while taking the case

To the court had left

The final outcome to the magistrate.

With the two charges made before

The court, Mr Denman

Presiding, believed the prosecutions

Leniency was down

To the prisoner's youth of 18 years.

One outcome could have been taken

Further, to a trial to lead

To a long term of penal servitude -

Instead the decision

Was to be a six months sentence.

These would be for each charge

To run side by side

Resulting in a year’s detainment -

Hyman Coots said

In his drug habit he was oblivious

To what he had done.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Deserter Decoy Sentenced. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 17 January 1916. P.12. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12093336/Daily-Telegraph-January-18-1916.html [Accessed: 17 January 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 17 January 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12093336/Daily-Telegraph-January-18-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ War Crime Of Hyman Coots - Thursday, 6 January 1916

Source: File: Cafe Royal.jpg. [online] An original image is Available at: <http://www.hotelcaferoyal.com/the-hotel/history/> [Accessed: 6 January 2016] 

In London, along way from home,

A soldier with the Canadian Army

Service corps, Private Alfred Allen,

Decided to spend some money

And time at London’s Cafe Royal.

Private Allen fell into conversation

With Hyman Coots and companion,

A lady - six hours of shared company

Passed - ending in the suggestion,

By Hyman Coots to meet next day.

At an agreed time and place Hyman

Coots - while eighteen years looked

Older for his age - confided in Allen

How he could do anything to gain

Money and that Alfred could too.

Hyman Coots believed how he had

Found a companion to share time -

That with his help he could desert,

To provide clothes for his escape;
Alfred was foolish to stay in army.

Private Allen kept his cool in order

To fool Hyman Coots - reporting

Back to his superiors, the young

Man’s Intent - with some others

He visited Lorne Road, Brixton.

This being the address of Coots.

With two officers Allen stated

Were friends of his - to be drunk

With plenty of money - in actual

Fact they were military Police.

Sergeant's Pawsey and Kohl

Of the Canadian military police,

Saw Hyman Coots set to give

Civilian clothes to private Allen,

And hand them military passes.

While both sergeant's stated

They had outstayed their leave,

Left Coots arrest to D.S. Taylor

And S.M. Dee - in their custody

Coots claimed his innocence.

With Military passes produced

And evidenced as fraudulent,

Hyman Coots stood before

Mr Denman at Marlborough

Street Court to be charged.

The prisoner described his self

As Russian and cinematograph

Actor - Hyman's crime was to forge

Passes and attempts to persuade

A soldier of his majesty to desert;

In remand Hyman's bail was refused.

 by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Alleged Deserter Decoy. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 3 January 1916. P.4. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12072932/Daily-Telegraph-January-4-1916.html [Accessed: 6 January 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 6 January 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12072932/Daily-Telegraph-January-4-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ A Song of Trauma - Saturday 20 November 1915

Video of song sung by Sergeant Wells.

During Canadian actions in Flanders,

A wounded Sergeant Wells, lay on

The battlefield - captured then taken

To a German field dressing station.

Sergeant Wells felt himself fortunate,

To meet there a considerate young

Officer - the German told the sergeant
Of his belief; Canadians were brave.

Thanking him Sergeant Wells was

Moved - under this young officer's

Order, to be escorted away from gas,

In an ambulance to a place of safety.

Uses of gas for this German, had

No place in warfare, feeling secure

The sergeant's fate changed, once

Out of sight the ambulance stopped.

Ordered out, his escorts prodded

Him with bayonets - to tell Wells

'Walk you Canadian pig,' which

He did - finally he reached Roulers.

The wound on his arm being very

Bad, it was decided to amputate -

With his heart weakened by gas,
He could not be given chloroform.

The Doctor took up a saw - beside

Him a Belgian nun held his hand,

To distract him as the cut was made.

She asked him what he might sing.

The little nun suggested 'God be

With you till we meet again.'

So Sergeant Wells sang out the

Hymn loudly, from chorus to verse.

Then again, until the job was done.

Time came with prisoner exchange, 

Of men no longer of use as soldiers;

In 4 months to leave Saxony camp.

A report came from Central news,

Montreal, to tell how Sergeant Wells

Had arrived in Vancouver, where

he spoke about the nun's journey.

Based in, the Danish West Indies

Then onwards to New York, this

Small nun wrote to his mother,
Telling of her son's sung survival.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Plucky Canadian - Sings During Amputation. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 20 November. P.6. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11994444/Daily-Telegraph-November-20-1915.html [Accessed: 20 November 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 20 November 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11994444/Daily-Telegraph-November-20-1915.html

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Lyrics of 'God Be With You Till We Meet Again.' By Jeremiah E. Rankin, 1880

1. 1. God be with you till we meet again;

By his counsels guide, uphold you;

With his sheep securely fold you.

God be with you till we meet again.

2. (Chorus)

Till we meet, till we meet,

Till we meet at Jesus' feet,

Till we meet, till we meet,

God be with you till we meet again.

3. 2. God be with you till we meet again;

When life's perils thick confound you,

Put his arms unfailing round you.

God be with you till we meet again.

4. 3. God be with you till we meet again;

Keep love's banner floating o'er you;

Smite death's threat'ning wave before you.

God be with you till we meet again.

Poem ~ Faulty Mines - Explosive Shockwaves - Friday, 28 May 1915

Impression sketch of Princess Irene - by Jamie. Original image can be seen at: http://www.loeildelaphotographie.com/2014/11/21/exhibition/26666/venezia-defends-itself-1915-1918-casa-dei-tre-oci-venezia

On the evening of 27 May the Admiralty

Secretary made announcement,

How on that very morning H. M. Princess

Irene and Auxiliary ships at Sheerness,

Suffered a sudden explosion.

Onboard the Princess Irene at harbour,

Were dockyard men, in total

78 - all believed killed - the only survivor

Was a stoker David Wills, suffering burns

In result of the destruction.

Completed early in 1915 by Denny & Co,

At Dumbarton Shipyards,

The two large Steamships commissioned,

For Canadian Pacific Railway Company,

For Pacific Coast trade.

Princes Irene, previously a passenger liner,

Had oil fired boilers and geared

Turbines - at anchor in the Medway off Port

Victoria in process of bring refitted - eighty

Shipwrights and riveters on board.

 At 11.15 a.m. explosions sent columns

Of smoke with arching flames,

300 feet - heard at a distance the town

Shook - other ships felt the blast as men

Elsewhere suffered injuries.

Debris scattered over a vast distance

When the cloud of smoke

Dispersed, nothing was left of vessel -

Other than some floating debris - only

One body was recovered.

The dead man Identified as Mr Turner

Of Luton - an assumption

Was that others might not be found -

Injuries on other ships resulted from

Falling splintered debris.

The wind had been blowing north easterly,

Carrying the concussion

Of explosion, some five miles - at Upchurch

Overlooking the Medway reacted in part

Of the church tower to fall.

Ten miles to Sittingbourne, to shake houses

Of the town - as glass fronted

Shops shattered, ceilings fell down in some

Cases - as girls of county school hurried

From their buildings.

One woman fainted in thought of Zeppelin raid -

Elsewhere at Maidstone,

Swing doors flew open and other elements

Thrown from the ship were caught in the wind;

A cloud of papers -

Blown to travel twelve miles inland the paper

Rained on villages of Maidstone

Teston, Barming and Allington - with witness

To navel signal forms and other papers - some

Splashed with lead.

A total of 352 lives were found to be lost -

To include a farmhand who had

Died from shock, a girl of nine hit by debris

On Isle of Grain - where severed heads

Were also found lying about.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Liner Blown Up at Sheerness – Great Loss of Life. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 28 May. P.9. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11631036/Daily-Telegraph-May-28-1915.html [Accessed: 28 May 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 28 May 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11631036/Daily-Telegraph-May-28-1915.html

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

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