Poem ~ Peace In A Note - Thursday, 28 December 1916 - Friday, 29 December 1916

Source: File: Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg. See an original image at: <https://macedonia1912-1918.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/ww1-leaders-german-statesmen-and-army.html> [Accessed 28 December 2016]

Possibly prompted and basking in glow

Of success over Roumanian defeat,

Germany purveyed idea of negotiated

Peace - perhaps to believe that with

Advent of Christmas and goodwill to all

Men that this might be taken seriously.

Came an echo of previous attestations,

Where war's conclusion might become

Reality - another chapter for peace

Emerged from words by the German

Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg

12 December 1916, given in a speech.

The act of Roumania's entry to conflict

Began the body of the speech before

The Reichstag podium - in seriousness

Of the situation was noted Field Marshall

Von Hindenburg's strength - who had

Captured Bucharest and Wallachia.

This had been achieved alongside other

Fronts; the Somme, Italy and Russian -

Without any let up Hiddenburg pushed

All operations onwards. A twist existed

In Roumanian foodstuffs stocks,

While German enemies felt a famine.

The speech entwined praise and awe

On emperor's heart, by 1st anniversary

August 1915 - words told how Germany's

Empire was not a besieged fortress, but

An organised nation - having limitless

Resources, alongside a force of allies. 

Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg

Laid out claims to a nation of defence

And freedom - having quite forgotten

Their initial invading aggression -

Ever ready to hold out the German

Hand made claim of a peaceful country.

'God, humanity and nation' - three

Elements evoked the story, how all

Attempts for German declarations

Of peace were always avoided -

A reluctant Kaiser had mobilised,

Prompted by Russian mobilisation.

To claim throughout months of war,

The emperor wanted only peace -

His morals and religion nature finally

Prompted him to make official

Request for war's end, for harmony

With hostile countries in mutual peace.

Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg

Advised he had sent a transmission

Of a note for peace to major neutral

States; Switzerland, America and

Spain - ensuring all hostile powers

Received this, as well as neutrals.

To include the Pope who had always

Been an agent for a peaceful end

To conflict - the peace note circulated

To Constantinople, Vienna and Sofia.

The Chancellor edged towards reading

Circulated note in challenging enemy.

Greatest of all claims was the real

Existence of German world power,

And their clear conscience to act

In choosing peace over slaughter -

If declined than those that fought

Against them are wars perpetuators.

By suggestion that their enemies

Seek only to conquer how they,

With such words, spin doctor this

Situation - 'God will be the judge'

As Germany carrys on their way;

A burden of horror will be enemies.

To state the obvious catastrophe

Of conflict over much of the world,

Germany was not out to annihilate

Their adversaries, in a war forced

On them - yet a strong economy

Would enable them to continue.

A bitter end would be no problem,

Though civilization might dissolve

Into ruin - victories in Balkan arena

Only showed German power - how

That situation justifies their nations

Claim to unrelenting successes.

'Germany then carries on a war

Of defence' - she fights to assure

Integrity of frontiers and liberty

Of her nation' - for free intellect

And to develop peaceful energy

Alongside neighboring nations.

A pontification address to pope's

Intentions was to set out Germany

As subject of victimisation - only

Germany was ready for peace -

Setting forth an understanding for

The Holy See to channel outcome.

Making out his congratulations for

Imperial chancellors speech came

Reports via neutrals, quoting words

Of Marshal von Hindenburg - whose

Emotion was a soldier’s response;

'To live and die for the fatherland.'

Words from a Berlin telegram added

More prophetic rhetoric; Hiddenburg

Declared the highest holy duty by

Prosecuting victory another, Dr von

Bethmann-Hollweg, stated the words

As being both the army and peoples.

To reinforce that if German enemies

Did not terminate the war, guarantee

Of Germany is to fight and secure

Fatherland a strong, lasting peace -

Meanwhile neutral reactions came

In with importance of United States.

Missouri politician and chairman

Of Senate Committee for Foreign

Relations, William Stone, addressed

The 'League to Enforce Peace' - as

An advocate of American neutrality,

With right to open up negotiations.

William Stone refused all warnings

From any foreign statesmen opinions,

That United states peace movements

Would be seen as futile and offensive.

He pointed out that USA had lost lives

And property due to European events.

Despite this that the USA movements

Should not be considered as meddlers,

But as a friend who had been affected

By wars ruthless acts - what might then

Happen from the latest initiatives from
Germany; might peace come in 1917?

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Hindenburg And Peace - Significant Telegrams. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 15 December 1916. P.10. Col.3. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213996/Daily-Telegraph-December-15-1916.htmll> [Accessed: 28 December 2016].

Anon.,1916. The Peace Proposal - An American View. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 15 December 1916. P.10. Col.6. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213996/Daily-Telegraph-December-15-1916.htmll> [Accessed: 28 December 2016].

Source: File: Extract from the Speech of Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg in the German Reichstag, December 12, 1916. Available at: <https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Extract_from_the_Speech_of_Chancellor_von_Bethmann-Hollweg_in_the_German_Reichstag,_December_12,_1916> [Accessed 25 December 2016]

Source: File: Official Communications and Speeches Relating to Peace Proposals 1916-1917. Available at: <https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Official_Communications_and_Speeches_Relating_to_Peace_Proposals_1916-1917> [Accessed 25 December 2016]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 28 December 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213996/Daily-Telegraph-December-15-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Rise of Haig, Fall of French - Friday, 17 December 1915

Source: File: Sir John French, Commander in Chief, August 1915.jpeg, [online] Available at: <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:F.M._Sir_John_French,_Commander_in_Chief,_in_France_%28Photo_24-309%29.jpg > Accessed: 17 December 2015].

Without mentions of the underlying reasons,

Came changes of command in the British

Army - by resignation of Sir John French.

The war office announcement made just

Prior to Midnight 15 December 1915.

Officially, the lines read Field Marshall

Sir John French to be given Viscount title,

While General Sir Douglas Haig became

Leader of the Army, in France and Flanders.

Time had been building for some months

That had raised criticism at French’s actions,

Among many Military whispers - Haig blamed

French's lack of command over reserves,

To lose his loyalty and the battles of Loos.

Haig had confessed to figures of Haldane

And General Rawlinson, as the King arrived

In France to annoy French - who had to leave

For London talks, with Dardanelles committee.

Generals Gough and Haking took opportunity

To see the King, to say all had lost confidence

With Commander in Chief  - who had become

A weakness within the British Army - despite

Their prior loyalties to methods of sir French.

A build up had progressed through October

To make strained relation with Marshall Joffre

Of the French Forces - with suggestions of how

John Frenchs' reckless mind frequently altered.

Supporters of French played a card, to say

Asquith wanted him in post  - although no

Official word played out in the war council -

For a potential dismissal, politicians were

Overheard discussing such a possibility.

Fully aware of growing criticisms at him,

French felt that Kitchener’s departure away

To the Mediterranean front, meant he would

Be safe - yet talks dwelled on reserves delays.

Despite the arguments and indignities, praise

was made for French, who had set out to halt
The very first attempts of German invasions, 

from August 1914 - the end still came with 
Cheers of 19th Hussars as French went home.

With French's policies criticized in House

Of Lords in early November, field Marshall

Robertson continued against French - firstly

To tell the King, Haig should take command.

By November's end it was a matter of time -

In the fallout at holding back reserves at Loos.

French and Asquith met, with minister's advice

He should take the first steps to give resignation -

Despite resistance, insistence became a must.

In Haig’s tales of a reckless French - reserves

Being close enough to the front as agreed - he

Ignored communication delays and release

Of men, leading Haig to feel him unreasonable.

With his words of resignation completed, French

Recommended Robertson - as was Government

Intention - but the official announcement told Sir

Douglas Haig was to take role of Field Marshall.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. New British Commander. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 17 December. P.12. Col.3-5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12052385/Daily-Telegraph-December-17-1915.html [Accessed: 17 December 2015].

Source: File: Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig. Online Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Haig,_1st_Earl_Haig#Haig_replaces_French> Accessed 17 December 2015

Source: File: John French, 1st Earl of Ypres. Online Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_French,_1st_Earl_of_Ypres#Criticism_after_Loos> Accessed 17 December 2015

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 17 December 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12052385/Daily-Telegraph-December-17-1915.html

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

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Poem ~ Passing of a Field Marshall - Thursday, 19 November 1914

 

Source: File: Lord Earl Roberts.jpg, 2014. From Dreaming of cold tea. [online] (updated December 4 2014)  Available at: <http://www.frankcrawshaw.uk/4-12-1914-dreaming-of-cold-tea/>Accessed: 19th November 2014].

 
Over recent days,
Great coverage was given,

To who was seen
As a great military man,
Lord Earl Roberts -

After his sudden death,

On visiting frontline troops,

Of Indian Battalions.

Aged 82 with great career,

And experience, the Earl

Did not die in glorious battle -

But caught a sudden chill,

At St Omer on 14 November.

A man with many honours
And titles of 1^st Earl, Lord,

Field Marshall and others,

The man was also known
As Roberts of Kandahar -

The papers told the tale,

Of Lord Roberts long career.

The full name of the man

Frederick Sleigh Roberts

VC, KG, KP, GCB, GCSI,

OM, GCIE, KStJ, VD, PC -

Departed France in a coffin,

Draped with the Union Jack,

That held his cap and sword.

The casket, carried on a gun

Carriage, from the courtyard

House, was marked by

Cavalries and detachments,

Acting as guard of honour,

At his journey’s start.

From a small French church
Service, in bright sunlight,
The casket was conveyed,
To a motor ambulance.

A single plane,
Having protected
The procession, lifted
High into the sky.

In the distance, amid

Dark clouds, curved a double
Rainbow - circling the square,

The plane dipped its nose,

In a final salute –

With the last wreath placed

On the casket, the ambulance

Closed its doors and moved

Slowly away towards Boulogne.

At the French port the General’s

Coffin was carried on shoulders

Of British soldiers - and with

A guard of honour boarded

The ship, ‘Onward’ for Folkstone.

From Folkstone,

The Earl was taken to his home,

Of Ascot, for a private family

Ceremony - upon a gun carriage,

On which his son had died,

Fighting in South Africa.

Following two other services,

Came the day of the Lord’s

Funeral – instead of sovereign

Representation, the king would

Also attend – this act proved

A great tribute to the man -

As no recent monarch had

Attended a subject’s funeral.

The body of Earl Roberts,

Carried by special train,

From his home at Ascot,

To Charing Cross, London –
When the procession

Would leave at 10.30 a.m.

The route of his last journey,

Was to be the Strand,

Northumberland Avenue,

Victoria Embankment,

New Bridge Street,

Ludgate-circus, then onto

Ludgate Hill and St Paul’s.

After A Ceremony held by

Archbishop of Canterbury,

With the Bishop of London

And Dean of St Paul -

The decision was made

For Lord Roberts to rest,

Near his comrade Wolseley,

Along with Admiral Nelson.

To mark his passing,

Came an order,

Of the Education Committee,

That children of London

Schools, are to be

Taught the story,

Of Lord Earl Roberts.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Burial of Earl Roberts – Todays Ceremony – King to be Present at St Paul’s – Processional Route. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 19 Nov. p.9. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11232260/Daily-Telegraph-November-19-1914.html [Accessed: 19 November 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 19 November 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11232260/Daily-Telegraph-November-19-1914.htm

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

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