Poem ~ What To Do With 'Drunken' Officers - Wednesday, 11 October - Sunday, 15 October 1916

Impression sketch for What To Do With 'Drunken' Officers.

i

In a number of insubordinations, various

Appearances of officers stood before

Major-General Lord Cheylesmore, who

Presided at a court-martial, Westminster.

A Commandant of Bisley Camp School

Of musketry, who had in his youth been

Described as an all round sportsman -

Though 'a little too eager to shoot birds.'

Eager Major-General Lord Cheylesmore 

Was fond of 'teaching the young idea

To shoot' - along with Karl Hans Lody trial
He had many court-martials under his belt.

Major-General Lord Cheylesmore now
Turned his talents to home grown issues -

He faced an accused Second Lieutenant

F. L. Whalley, who had pleaded not guilty.

A charge held on the Lieutenant as drunk

On 6 September 1916, at the Wimbledon

Common camp, 10.45 p.m. - the court
Listened to how Whalley's story unfolded.

A taxi cab driver appeared at servant's

Hut on the camp, asking for Lieutenant

Whalley's servant Private Donovan, who

He addressed, to request the officer’s fare.

The driver had refused the idea of being

Given a cheque - although not very clear,

Private Andrews likely went to officers

Mess, to inform another officer of events.

A further witness confirmed how Lieutenant

Whalley was slumped on his bed to appear

Drunk - in shaking him he asked him what

He was going to do; 'give the man a cheque.'

Whalley asked them to write this for him -

Private Donovan advised the driver a cheque

For 25s would be posted - in his evidence

Whalley informed court of personal worries.

Since late August his concerns centred 

About his wife having recently given birth -

On 5 September he had been all day at the

Nursing home, returning to camp at 9 p.m.

He could not sleep so then returned

To the nursing home by 1 a.m., where

Two Doctors held no hope for his wife.
In addition the child would not survive.

Staying there for many hours he finally

Left 9 p.m. Whalley took a taxi to stop

At a hotel, to drink 3 sodas and brandies

He had not eaten - but nor was he drunk.

Collapse came from mental worry and

Physical exertion - court then heard how

Whalley had been in army 11 years with

4 years active service in South Africa.

During that time no crime had been made

Against him - a letter was provided by late 
Lord Roberts to Whalley's parents, to say 

He had been part of his close bodyguard.

Whalley carried out his duties smartly,

As a keen soldier - while Captain Neale

Advised he proved to be excellent officer

And popular with colleagues and men.

ii

From Bedfordshire Yeomanry stood

Second Lieutenant H. E. R. Craig, to be

Accused that on 16 September 1916 he 

Was at Empire Music Hall Promenade.

He was found dancing whilst in uniform.

Captain T. V. Brown, Assistant Provost

Marshal of Australian Force, saw Craig

Step dancing, his arm around a civilian.

Captain Brown spoke to Craig to say his

Behaviour did not become an officer -

The Lieutenant replied he was not doing

Any harm - the Captain asked for his card.

The reply was, 'I have not got any,' to add

Was his word not good enough? then given

An order to report on Monday. 'I cannot

Do it' - then Craig followed Captain Brown.

Craig had asked for Brown's card in order

He may lodge a complaint; at 11.15 p.m.
A Captain Cameron asked him, after what

Brown had said, why did he follow him?

Craig denied he followed Brown - asked

Again if he understood he was to report

To the Provost-Marshals office the next

Morning - the reply was, 'I cannot report.'

After repeating that he must report, Craig

Was told not to loiter but go on his way -

Giving back reply, 'I shall stay where I like.'

At that point he was arrested and taken.

Travelling quietly in the taxicab Craig was

Quite sober - at Scotland Yard Lieutenant

Craig was put into a cell, to perform steps

Of a dance as the door was being locked.

Lieutenant Craig faced court-marshal over

3 charges of insubordination to a superior

Officer - this he denied, stating how he had

Only been at Promenade talking to a friend.

Further to explain that after being led into

The cell, where all the windows were open,

Lieutenant Craig stamped his feet to keep

Warm and that he had not been dancing.

iii

Second Lieutenant A. E. N. Phillips, an

Officer of the Royal Garrison Artillery sent

A telegram to the Anti Aircraft company,

Commander Captain Rotteburg one Saturday.

His words, 'kindly excuse me parade this

Morning: unavoidably detained.' Without word

Until Monday 18 September, to say by wire

He would report Tuesday with explanations.

Second Lieutenant A. E. N. Phillips was

Actually absent from Friday 15 to Tuesday

19 September - in his decision not to give

Any explanations, he instead gave evidence.

Stating that his section had no weekend duty,

Phillips had not realised that there were strict

Regulations in what his absence had meant -

If known he would not have taken time away.

Lieutenant Phillips defended his character,

To state he had been in the Matabeleland

And Natal Mounted Police, South Africa -

Having gained medals prior to his arrival.

He had decided to leave his police post there

To travel to England and fight for the Empire.

Having heard evidence, the court remained

Undecided on Lieutenant Phillips sentence.

Vi

On another day, without any connection,

A second Lieutenant of the Australian

Imperial Force, G. D. Lemon, had been

Present in London, 23 September 1916.

Second Lieutenant Lemon faced charges

Of drunken behaviour in Leicester Square

10.30 p.m. when he should have reported

To camp, catching his train from Waterloo.

Missing the 5.50 p.m. train that evening,

Lemon advised he was unaware of having

To get a specific train - he met an Australian

Friend, intending to travel to camp with them.

Lemon planned his return Sunday morning.

His promotion to rank of Second Lieutenant

From private had occurred in 1916; a court

Martial existed from August, for being drunk.

With Lieutenant Lemon's sentence yet to be

Decided, as was Second Lieutenant Phillips,
Lieutenant Craig, the keen, sober dancer's

Summing up said 'not guilty' - while Whalley's

Concerns for his wife, was found 'not guilty.'

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Courts-Martial - Charges Against Officers. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 7 October 1916. P.x14. Col.1. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213397/Daily-Telegraph-October-7-1916.html> [Accessed: 11 October 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 11 October 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213397/Daily-Telegraph-October-7-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ War's First Casualty - Friday, 4 August 1916 - Sunday, 6 August 1916

Source: File: Corporal Jules Andre Peugeot. See an original image at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A_photo_of_Jules_Andre_Peugeot.jpg> [Accessed 4 August 2016]

Source: File: Lieutenant Albert Otto Walter Mayer. See an original image at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lt_Mayer.jpg> [Accessed 4 August 2016]

With the anniversary of war,

Came thoughts of 2 years before,

To discuss who had been the very

First casualty of the Great War.

In truth it was not just one man

But two who would die within short

Time of each other - a German

And French man, on 2 August 1914.

Albert Mayer born 1892, grew

Up in Alsace at Mulhouse and

Joined the army in 1912 - by 1914

Becoming a cavalry lieutenant.

Only thirty miles away born a year

Later, 1893 was Jules Peugeot

At Etupes - in desire to teach, Jules

Took a post at Villers le Lac, 1912.

With compulsory military service,

A year later saw Peugeot in army,

To become corporal by April 1914 -

Likely to become an officer cadet.

From the base at Lons-le-Saunie

His infantry brigade was located

To Montbéliard - following threats,

After July royalty assassinations.

In very likely escalation to conflict,

The 27th Infantry Brigade readied

For war footing, to move into Alsace;

Orders to guard 10 km from border.

In opposition to French mobilisation on

1 August 1914 29th cavalry Brigade,

In which Lieutenant Mayer served,

Took orders to make reconnaissance.

These cavalry patrols noted lacking

Of French presence on their border -

New orders came - they were to cross

The border to seek out information.

Taking to their horses on 2 August

Eleven German patrols set off about

Belfort - Lieutenant Mayer took

His into France, east of Courtelevant.

Some miles away, that same day,

Corporal Peugeot was at Joncherey

Village, manning a eastern sentry

Point of Joncherey - Faverois road.

Sunday 2 August 1914 began - a new,

Clear summer’s day, as German troops

Began their attempt of a Luxembourg

Invasion - a low-key event using cars.

A strangely odd affair, lacking clarity

To see destruction at Troisvierges of

Telegraphs and rails, prior to being

Told the invasion was to be day after.

One incident of three customs officers

Shouting, had provoked threats from

One officer – while a German group

Requested directions into France.

Elsewhere, almost 9 a.m., a German

Party arrived at the French frontier east

Of Belfort, at Petit Croix –  a German
Officer stepped from the Customs house.

The first fracare began where three

Customs officers were shot on - only

To withdraw without a reply - but other

Staff came once more under fire.

In charge of the Customs House,

Capitaine Dentz returned the very first

Shots in confirmation of war - between

Them 49 rounds but none hit the other.

From Sepois-le-Bas Lieutenant Mayer

And seven Jaegers took a break, next

To a small stream, allowing their horses

To drink as the hour moved forwards.

10 a.m. Corporal Peugeot paused

In the mornings warmth and dipped

His hands into water to wash, ready

To eat breakfast on the summer’s day.

Stationed opposite Msieur Docourts

Farm house whose daughter, Nicolet,

Went to fetch drinking water - she ran

Back calling ‘the Prussians are coming!’

The 9-year-old girl repeated the fact -

German soldiers watering horses close

To Faverois - yet Nicolet's warning was

Too slow as the Germans approached.

Lieutenant Mayer's patrol was closing

In on the sentry post  - already seen, a

Sentry sounded alarm to take up arms -

Peugeot and others went to the road.

The sentry stepped out, leading the patrol.

Lieutenant Mayer swiped his sabre down

At the guard, cutting only his equipment

And coat, Peugeot called out ’Halte-la!’

The French intent was to make their arrest,

But Mayer was not having this, as he pulled

A revolver and took a shot - the first bullet

Missed, but another hit Peugeot’s shoulder.

The next bullet missed but damage had been

Done, as the German bullet hit the Frenchman,

Out through his right shoulder - despite this

Peugeot fired back as he fell, but missed.

Now the French opened fire on the German

Cavalry - while the others scattered Mayer

Was hit, first in the stomach, then a direct

Shot to the head, that killed him instantly.

Corporal Jules Peugeot stood, to stagger

A few paces - to see the first German dead

Along with two horses – carried to Docourt’s

House he died on the steps, with another 30

Hours until war would be officially declared.

By Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. First War Victim. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 3 August 1916. P.10. Col.6. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12212426/Daily-Telegraph-August-3-1916.html>[Accessed: 4 August 2016].

Source: File: Brothers in Arms.The First to Fall: Peugeot and Mayer, 2 August 1914. Available at: <The First to Fall: Peugeot and Mayer, 2 August 1914 - See more at: http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-people/brothers-arms/1515-the-first-to-fall-peugeot-and-mayer-2-august-1914.html#sthash.gwGyIUjN.dpuf> [Accessed 4 August 2016]

Source: File: Skirmish at Joncherey. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skirmish_at_Joncherey> [Accessed 4 August 2016]

Source: File: Jules-André Peugeot. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skirmish_at_Joncherey> [Accessed 4 August 2016]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 4 August 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12212426/Daily-Telegraph-August-3-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Dover Air Raid Deaths - Tuesday, 21 March 1916

Impression sketch of Edith Stoker and Francis Hall - by Jamie. Original images can be seen at : <http://www.doverwarmemorialproject.org.uk/casualtyindex.htm> [Accessed: 21March 2016]

i

With a maritime history and position,

The port of Dover had always been

Central to England’s defences - across

Time and wars, to look across the sea.

Seated at an extreme position at foot

Of south East England, where land

Once linked to an ancient world - long

Fallen to sea, forming a lone island.

There, where white cliffs formed Albion

In the county of Kent, channel waters

Made a natural defence to ambitious

Invaders - making Dover a prime target.

A prime port as link for Empires troops

In embarkation and arrivals, to be where

First bomb of 1914 fell on English soil;

Close to Dover castle, Christmas Eve.

A dirty white wall of chalky earth defiantly

Stood, formed a bright landmark guide

To hunters of new warfare, from winged

Crafts and the deadly zeppelin types.

ii

19 March 1916, being any normal day

saw strategy of a German bombing raid,

As life for the ordinary folk unraveled

In the light of a Sunday, given to rest.

Above a blue Dover sky buzzed aircraft

Tracing the chalk cliffs to find its target -

With Dover’s military and naval presence,

A bomb was thrown amid civilian houses.

Inside homes the sounds of flying craft

Alerted helpers, who carried a bedridden
Lady of 80, to safety of ground, as bricks

And mortar shook - her bedroom blew up.

As an invader swooped another bomb

Struck in destruction, killing a woman

Outright - the force of the explosion

Injuring another woman next door.

Elsewhere unaware of any imminent 

Danger A young Edith Stoker, out on

A free Sunday afternoon, took to her

Bike, setting off towards to Folkestone.

iii

Edith Stokes housemaid of Mrs Hart

Of Maison Dieu Road cycled, to turn

Around a corner of the main road,
To know soon she would see her love.

Having left her employer's house,

Edith rode onto Folkstone Road -

Moving over the railway, she moved

About a boy walking in the street.

Startled both looked up at the sudden

Screech - Edith clasping handlebars,

As a bomb crashed to the tramlines

The blast lifted her from the cycle.

Flying sideways across the road,

Edith struck the door of 131 -

The stationer’s shop of Mr Tarrant,

Where she lay in the entrance.

One minute from Folkstone Road,

Winchelsea Street was home

To Francis Amos Hall - he closed

The gate of number 23 on his way.

iV

That day his father, working as

A railway guard, had left on London

Train - his mother stayed home while

Francis walked to Sunday School.

With a year to his twelfth birthday,

Francis walked along Folkestone

Road, he stopped at sounds above;

A biplane swooped across the town.

At 23 Winchelsea Street, Mrs Hall

Heard the noise of aircraft overhead,

With her son outside, she rushed

To the road intending to find him.

Frances ran back over the tramlines

As girl on a cycle swerved round him -

Startled, Francis heard a rushing noise,

A bomb was falling - he turned to run.

Mrs Hall was close to Folkestone road,

As she saw her boy running towards

Her and home - then came a flash as

An air bomb struck, close to Francis.

V

Nearby a gentleman ran over to help,

Where he saw the distressed mother

of a fallen boy - He knelt to see brief

Reactions in his eyes, moving once.

The stranger felt him slump but said

Nothing - nearby a young woman was

Found injured in a shop door, both
Driven to the hospital full of casualties.

From her severe injuries Edith Stoker

Died aged 23 - a daughter of a Sergeant 
Major Pensioner - born in Singapore,

Until Dover became the family home.

In finally learning that her son had died,

Mrs Hall was comforted by staff, 'as best

They could' - on his return home Mr Hall
Found unwashed blood on his son's face.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Blown Across A Road. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 21 March 1916. P.9. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12196087/Daily-Telegraph-March-21-1916.html [Accessed: 21 March 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 21 March 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12196087/Daily-Telegraph-March-21-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Lieutenant 'Williams' Aged 17 - Wednesday, 2 February 1916

Impression sketch of Lieutenant 'Williams': Aged 17 - by Jamie.

Amid the determined youth

Of early war, was a lad

Of 16 years Clifford Probert -

Having grown in Tredegar

Monmouthshire; a county

Of South East Wales.

Young Clifford Porbert,

Took himself away

To a recruitment office

In Ebbw Vale - a Welsh

Town at the valleys head,

To give a false age of 19.

On discovery of her son's

Actions, Mrs Probert

Told the recruiting officials

That her sons real age,

Was only 16 years - with

This fact he was discharged.

This eager Clifford Probert

Did not stay at home,

Soon he left for Newport -

Under William Willams

The son signed once again,

With Royal Garrison Artillery.

Some time had passed, when

Mrs Probert was to learn

How her son was in the army,

At Great Yarmouth -

His success had led him

To become a Lance-Corporal.

When Clifford, then officially

Williams, learned how

He was to leave for the front,

He wrote sixteen letters -

To leave them with a soldier

Friend with strict instructions.

Whenever a letter came from

His mother at Tredegar,

To halt her worries, a letter

Would be posted to her -

Until this soldier orders

Took him to Dardanelles.

Later within the spring battle

For Hill 60, close to Ypres,

Clifford, pseudonym William,

Was wounded, to be sent

Home for a time - after some

Months, to be posted to Loos.

There within the fierce fight

This young Corporal

Volunteered to go forward,

Out into open danger -

Under fire he undertook

A task of dangerous work.

Gaining another wound,

This young Welsh

Man was recognised for

Bravery - promoted

To Lieutenant Williams,

Presented 25 September.

This came eight days from

His birthday, Saturday

18 September, that marked

His 17th year - Once home

In Tredegar Clifford was to

Be honoured in presentation.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Welsh Boy Hero - Romance Of The War. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 2 February 1916. P.11. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12130506/Daily-Telegraph-February-2-1916.html [Accessed: 2 February 2016].

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12130506/Daily-Telegraph-February-2-1916.html

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Poem ~ Under-aged Private Janaway - Friday, 14 January 1916

Impression sketch of Gunner Harry Janaway, aged 14 - by Jamie.

NOTE:  an article on teenage boys in trenches can be found at: http://forums.canadiancontent.net/history/129576-teenage-soldiers-world-war-one.html

24 January 1914 Harry Janaway

Travelled to Chichester to join military -

The youngster had informed

Authorities, as his age being 18 years.

He became Gunner Harry Janaway

Of the 130th Battery Royal Field Artillery

And after undertaking training

Was sent to front in France - May 1914.

Young Gunner Harry Janaway

Was involved in the fighting about Ypres,

Armentieres, La Bassee then

Loos; in close scrapes twice to gain wounds.

In January 1916 Harry Janaway

Had his true years discovered by authorities -

By age inquires of some soldiers -

The boy had lied about his age by four years.

4 January 1916, Gunner Janaway

Was his 15th birthday, to depart for home.

Being dismissed by the military

Harry Janaway was annoyed by discovery.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Hero of 15. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 14 January 1916. P.8. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12093307/Daily-Telegraph-January-14-1916.html [Accessed: 14 January 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 14 January 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12093307/Daily-Telegraph-January-14-1916.html

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

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