Poem ~ The 150 Mile Front - Tuesday, 8 September 1914

As officially released,

By the Press Bureau.

Are plans formulated

By General Joffre,

These are being carried out.

Moving out onto the offensive,

The allies having forced back

The Germans in North easterly

Direction, now form the opening

Battle lines in Northern France.

Details by the French Government

At Bordeaux, shows the struggle

has created a 150 mile front -

From 30 miles North East of Paris,

Reaching to the Verdun fortress.

The British are now engaged,

Allied alongside the French.

Official communication states,

The left wing army is prepared

As the enemies right wing sits,

On the banks of Grand Morin.

Centred at Lorraine and Vosges,

No changes are yet reported.

Between our advanced guard

And the German right flank

Were yesterday, engaged in fight.

Our side advanced towards

The River Ourcq, but no great

Enemy resistance was met.

The crux of the situation

At present, is plainly stated

Lying to the east, from south

Of Chalons, across to Verdun

Where it is predicted

A desperate battle will rage -

For at least a week,

Or a time considerably longer.

A lament is made that decisive

Battles no longer last for a day

From hours of sunrise to sunset

As they did at Waterloo.

by Jamie Mann

Anon., 1914. Great Battle in France. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 Sept. p.7. Col.3.  War p.7. Col.1.  Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11075873/Daily-Telegraph-September-8-1914.html  [Accessed: 8th September 2014].

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

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11075873/Daily-Telegraph-September-8-1914.html

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

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Poem ~ Government in Bordeaux - Friday, 4 September 1914

Following on from a previous announcement,

The French Government has taken an important decision,

(Which is not unexpected), in a prompt transition

Of the Country’s central administration to Bordeaux.

The Cabinet members and the President of the Republic,

Have already left the capital for this city.

To explain reasons for this, Government gave a manifesto

That in transferring public power from Paris is being made,

At the request of the military authorities while the capital

Becomes pivot for military operations - it states possibility

Of enemies possible sudden attack on entrenched camps.

Consequently the military states Paris will be the centre,

Around which armies will now revolve - the city, therefore,

Will assume an almost exclusive military character.

'Endure and fight!' is the motto of the manifesto

In a footnote is given the order by General Gallieni,

That all occupants of dwellings within the range of forts

Are to leave, as these buildings are to be demolished.

by Jamie Mann

Anon.,1914. Paris Preparing for a Siege-Government Removed to Bordeaux - President leaves - Manifesto to the Nation. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 04 Sept. p.7. Col.2. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11068557/Daily-Telegraph-September-4-1914.html [Accessed: 04 September 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 04 September 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11068557/Daily-Telegraph-September-4-1914.html

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

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