Poem ~ Kitchener Rumours - Sunday 7 November 1915

Source: File: Horatio Kitchener. jpeg, [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Horatio_Kitchener,_1st_Earl_Kitchener_-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_15306.jpg> Accessed: 7 November 2015].

Having left British shores Earl Kitchener,

Was by 7 November, on route to Gallipoli -

The objective to gain first hand truth

Of the war situation on the Turkish front.

Only a day after departure came need

For announcement to explain, that while

Minister of War was away, the war office

Came under the command Mr Asquith.

Such situations had been quite normal,

When Earl Kitchener's duties took him

From Whitehall - While Downing Street

Had seen a normal ministers meeting.

A press Bureau statement told how

Sir Edward Grey, Lloyd George other

Ministers, with a few military officers,

Met as usual nothing out of ordinary.

Not unusual, except for suggestion

Of a circulated story, about resignation

Of Lord Earl Kitchener - the humdrum

Duties saw meet Board of Education.

Therefore in words of bold, told how

A temporary absence of the great man

Was being carried on by Prime Minister,

Without truth in resignation of Kitchener.

While there is often no truth in rumours,

Rumours might often turn out to be true.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Lord Kitchener - Temporary Absence On Public Duty - Resignation Denied. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 6 November. P.9. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11975530/Daily-Telegraph-November-6-1915.html [Accessed: 7 November 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 7 November 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11975530/Daily-Telegraph-November-6-1915.html

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

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Poem ~ World War - Tuesday, 4 August 1914

Finally came a 100 years to the day,

Exactly to that same hour.

Dawn on 4/8/14, and in the clear new light,

Comes a list of countries declaring war;

Austria-Hungary against Serbia,

Germany against France and Russia,

With demands against Belgium.

But this is no sporting tournament.

German declares its self defence

Against the powers of France.

But the 1839 London Treaty

Guarantees Belgium its neutrality.

In a Grey speech the Foreign Secretary

States that this English country,

Cannot run from honour or interests.

Yet an underlying gloom comes by paper sellers.

Bundles of print, cut open stacked for half penny a time,

Make statements 'for peace' or call 'for a fighting spirit.'

The papers add their various thoughts.

The Telegraph states:  to do 'anything but slink away,

Like a frightened cur from the menace

Of the Prussian jackboot.'

To risk imposition upon Europe

Absolute 'dominance of absolute power.’

By 8 a.m. still in fresh light of day,

Germany seeks its own security blindly

Crossing into Belgian territory.

The frontier is breached at Gemmerich,

30 miles from the fortress of Liege

By 8.20 a.m. the first assault is led by Otto Van Emmich.

9 a.m. the first Belgian is killed, lancer Antoine Fonck.

Britain still vows support  -

Food prices rise as the stock exchange closes.

9.10 a.m. The Belgian king appeals to his Parliament

For defence of their country 'Yes yes!' Comes the reply.

9.30 a.m. once more a telegram request for Germany

To respect Belgium neutrality;

Hour by unfolding hour,

Back and forth, back and forth.

The first casualty of such conflict is always truth;

Germany believes France will attack across Belgium earth.

By 2 p.m. London requests Berlin to honour the treaty of 1839,

Their ultimatum for this, 11 p.m. British time.

9 p.m. and rumours spread around a waiting world;

Britain is likely to go to war.

Still false reports are intercepted, adding to the tension.

10 p.m. and the Berlin embassy of Britain is stoned.

Apologies are made but it seems too late.

10.45 p.m. a Privy Council led by King George confirms war.

The clock strikes 11 p.m. and Germany is silent.

Shortly past the hour the navy fleet receives a note:

'Commence Hostilities against Germany.'

11th hour '14 to 11th hour '18 what irony!

So what was it like to know

Nothing of guns of trenches of mud,

Of Flanders or the Somme,

Or any other hellfire place.

Nothing of barbed wire fences,

Nothing of pals’ fate before they were battalions,

Or friendships to be made,

And friendships to be broken.

To know nothing of bullet, shrapnel, gas and shells.

No names carved in cross or stone,

No war horse, war nurse or ammunition worker.

So we ask ourselves what was it like,

What would it be like, to know none of these?

by Jamie Mann.

Anon., 2014. Daily Telegraph August 4 1914. The Telegraph, [online] 4 Aug. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11004102/Daily-Telegraph-August-4-1914.html [Accessed: 4th August 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 4 August 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11004102/Daily-Telegraph-August-4-1914.html

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

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Poem ~ Lamps Going Out - Monday, 3 August 1914

Still Canterbury Cricket week commenced,

And English regattas went on as planned.

Elsewhere Berlin lifts in the 'spirit of 1914'

But Belgians celebrate their defiance.

A German councillor warns 'Belgians are fools...'

2 p.m. and an unanswered question of war lingers.

The Foreign Secretary states a statement of conditions.

Speeches dour give warnings of suffering to come,

As Westminster crowds gather in the escalation.

5 p.m. A gloomy Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey

Bangs his fists on the desk 'I hate war I hate war.'

6 p.m. and allegations of French foray across borders

Leads to German final declarations of war.

In London patriots call for King and sing Rule Britannia.

By slow darkness gaslights are lit in St James's Park.

Grey remarks, 'The lamps are going out all over Europe.'

by Jamie Mann

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 10 August 2014). 

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

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