Showing posts with label Comradeship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comradeship. Show all posts

Thursday, 9 October 2014

Poème ~ Chute d'Arras - Vendredi 9 Octobre 1914


Jeudi, dans le Nord-Ouest de la France,
Cathédrales que les spécimens élevés,
De l'architecture sont, pour le Hun,
La meilleure des objectifs - il semble,
Que l'idée d'infanterie forçant
D'une ville, n'importe quel repère de flèche
Vu par le Hun est d'être écrasé.

Du point de vue d'un soldat,
La raison en est que les flèches sont utilisées
à des fins de tour d'observation,
Agissant comme une nécessité militaire.
Ce sera sans aucun doute une excuse,
De la dernière atrocité a agi sur,
Par l'armée Allemands de vandales.

Commencé en 1501 L'Hôtel de Ville de
Plus était le beffroi, a terminé 1554.
A 250 mètres de haut avec une horloge distinctif,
La tour, surmontée d'un lion héraldique,
Était bien connu pour le carillon.

Les réfugiés, au départ de la ville d'Arras,
En arrivant à la sécurité de la côte,
Parlez de la façon dont les Allemands, par les bombardements
La ville, dans le processus brisant
Le clocher de l'Hôtel de Ville,
Comme missiles sont tombés sur la cathédrale.

Un conte de l'histoire répétée - St Vaast de
Stands sur une église chrétienne tôt
Qui avait été détruite par les Huns.
A cette époque, il ne pouvait pas dire ce que
Dommages ont été causés à des reliques,
Comme dans la statue de la Vierge par Cortot,
«Christ au tombeau» porté au crédit Vandycke
Ou «Descente de Croix» de Rubens.

Comme un poste regarder le beffroi n'est pas nécessaire.
Arras, étant une ville basse altitude avec des hauteurs
A propos, une observation pourrait être faite
De ces collines, à l'ouest de la ville, a tenu
Dans les mains des Français, tout tireur d'experts pourrait
Évitez la tour, avec une pensée de l'épargner.

Les combats ont été fait à propos de Arras
Pendant des jours, à l'est - sur une plaine, allemand
Forces massées samedi-feu ont commencé
Lentement le lundi, avec des attaques lourdes
Le mardi et le mercredi -
Les premières armes à feu n'ont pas eu beaucoup d'effet.

Plus de canons venus jeudi pour provoquer
Destruction et la mort - tous les gens étaient
Encouragés à quitter rapidement la ville.
Avoir un avertissement, les hommes de 18 à 45
Ont été invités à aller dans les villes côtières
Pour leur propre protection et sécurité.

Les jeunes hommes, d'âges d'être appelé
Pour les rangs, sont dit d'aller dans l'évitement,
D'être fait prisonnier par l'ennemi,
Soucieux de couper réserves françaises - ils
Prennent des civils valides
Prisonnier - Toute inapte par âge ou d'incapacité,
Ont été avertis de quitter 11h30 jeudi.

Mais peut-être que certains restent cachette,
En lieu et place maintenant être bombardé. Les Français
Prévision militaire, de l'ennemi
Tenter d'investir dans les deux heures,
Entré vrai - en moins de temps que les Allemands
Franchi le ruisseau de l'est
Limites de la ville, de prendre pied dans
Les fortifications de Vauban de la ville.

Un témoin qui croit que les Allemands,
Saisie Arras par la Porte St Michel -
Qui à son tour conduit à la Grand Place -
Susceptibles d'avoir quitté passant par la Porte des Soupirs -
Mais la Porte des Soupirs est plus approprié,
Pour les destructeurs de monuments historiques.

Une fois dans la ville de l'ennemi n'avait pas de repos.
Des renforts alliés sur le côté ouest,
Entré dans la route encore ouverte Amiens.
L'infanterie entrer dans la Porte d'Amiens
En tant que réfugiés passer, dans l'autre sens.

Fissures fusil d'incendie dans les rues,
Pour le taraudage du volley Mitrailleuse.
En furtif lente, l'ennemi est forcé
Retour, comme les Français reprendre Arras.
La présence allemande persistante est coupé,
Maintenant repoussé à quatre des cinq
Gates, l'ennemi enfin tenir.

par Jamie Mann.


Anon.,1914. Life in the Trenches – Football and War. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 Oct. p.5. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11137116/Daily-Telegraph-October-8-1914.html [Accessed: 8th October 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 8 October 2014)



#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered 

Tuesday, 7 October 2014

Poem ~ Living The Life Of Rabbits - Thursday, 8 October 1914


A letter received by the brother of Private S. Harris,
Was delivered to the family doorstep at Redhill.
Private Harris detailed his battalion of the West Kents
Recent engagements, on the other side of the channel.
For fifty hours they had lived their lives like rabbits,
Having burrowed down into trenches - the experience
Described as not unpleasant and somewhat exciting.

A bursting of shells overhead was continual, eventually
Becoming monotonous.  The encounter for the younger
Soldiers was initially awful but they too became used
To the roaring over their heads. They started to cheer,
Each time shrapnel and shell sounded they remarked;
‘There’s another rocket John,’ watching it's rapid trail.

In the digging of trenches and recesses the West Kents,
Shared with Dorsets and Scottish Borderers, telling yarns
Whenever resting - ‘A nice lazy life’ the reader might think.
On the other hand is the reminder of shrapnel bursts
Just above head height - To avoid being killed themselves,
They killed time in using cigarette cards to play 'banker'.

Shrank down in their hole, discussion centered on football,
About favourite teams prospects and merits of the players.
In making a bet that Billy Meredith joined Manchester City
In 1896, one chap was promptly hit by a bullet in the knee.
As bandage was applied, he remained calm to state, saying
He would not play for Maidstone United on Christmas Day!

Private Harris asks his brother, upon writing back, to send
Cigarettes as he owes 20 packets to a chum and asks him
To find out the date of Meredith joining Manchester City,
In order to settle the bet. Harris states that like them,
Their officers are very light-hearted - in their digging duty
They dug an underground officers mess, for their meals.

One soldier even used cigarette cards and pictures cut from
A French paper to decorate the place – the food of the officers,
Notes Harris, is not like food they would have been presented
At the Hotel Cecil - a kind and jolly lot, he states, would not be
Met in a day’s marching - one officer, stocked with cigarettes,
Divided them among his men – Soon to pay back his kindness.

A few shells hit the turf of the mess-room, that made up the roof,
And the sides fell in like a pack of cards, burying three officers.
They dug out the generous officer and others, from their pickle.
Private Harris estimated 500 shells burst about them, during
Their stay in those trenches - less than a dozen were wounded
And not one man was killed - as they were all well protected.

Finally once able to leave the trenches and stretch their legs
Realised what had been thrown at them, seeing the ground
Strewn with burst shells - Harris ends with the plan, if all goes
Well that the next day they are to have a real game of football.
The private selecting a team to play against a Borders team,
Who are always swaggering to them about what they can do.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Life in the Trenches – Football and War. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 Oct. p.5. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11137116/Daily-Telegraph-October-8-1914.html [Accessed: 8th October 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 8 October 2014)



#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered 


Friday, 3 October 2014

Poem ~ Senegalese Fight in France - Saturday, 3 October 1914


Oddly, perhaps, despite cultural suppression,
Of black expressions and the proliferation
Of British Institutions, many British colonies
Gave staunch support to the outbreak
Of war. In spite of hardships these people
Gave donations - thousands of pounds -
But more notably gave themselves to fight.

Comes the curious article from the time,
On human fraternity between the British
Troops and the ‘blacks from Senegal.’
Together they were to fight side by side.
A reporter witnesses how on French soil
How they and Tommy Atkins become friends.

The reporter tells how Tommy is surprised
When a black man attempts to speak French.
Their conversation is made by gestures -
A picturesque sight is made in a village,
Whenever Tommy and a black man meet.
Using fingers, hands and arms, until
A Senegal speaks English words to say
‘Me fight with France, you fight with France too.’

The basic English words from the black man,
That this reporter believes, must be gained
From some African port. Fraternity is made
Stronger from the broken talk - Tommy laughs,
As the black man takes a glass to tell him;
‘Black man drink no beer, black man drink wine.’

Other fresh arrivals of black soldiers join them,
Who are yet to raise their rifles at the enemy.
The men are eager to prove what they can do,
Through an interpreter ask, 'where is the enemy?'
The ‘tall stalwart Negros’ then gave their word,
Not to cut up the dead - It is enough to kill
The enemy, then leave them to kill another.

More laughter and beer is made again in offer.
But taking it they ask for better tasting water.
Again the newcomers ask where is the fight -
Until the order comes to start their march.
They are told the Germans are only ten miles
Away - they stride as if distance was nothing,
Smiling - soon signs of shells are seen nearing
Their progress. During a halt, some of them climb
A tree, looking to see the enemy shells bursting.

Black men, with impatient swinging of arms,
Act as if they are ready to catch the shells.
They're assured by Tommy Atkins not to worry.
Before the day is ended Tommy promises,
The fresh soldiers will see many more shells.

by Jamie Mann.

Beaumont, A., 1914. Brothers in Black. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 3 Oct. p.10. Col.3. Available online at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11137066/Daily-Telegraph-October-3-1914.html [Accessed: 3rd October 2014].

Howe, G. D.,2013. A White Man's War? World War One and the West Indies
Brothers in Black. BBC [online]  (Last updated 2011-03-10). Available at: <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/west_indies_01.shtml> Accessed 3rd October 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 3rd October 2014). 



#WW1 #Senegalese #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered