Poem ~ Actress On The Frontline - Thursday, 18 May 1916

Source: File: Sarah Bernhardt on the Western Front during WW1 with two companions and some French officers. [online] See an original image at: <http://inspirationalwomenofww1.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/sarah-bernhardt-1841-1923-french-actress.html> [Accessed: 18 May 2016]

Born Paris Rosine Bernardt

Flourished as an actress,

Having changed her name

To Sarah Bernhardt

From 1862 - life in Belgium

Developed intrigue,

To include a coffin as a bed,

Helping tragic roles.

Over theatrical years roles

Led to a part in La Tosca -

In the final scene, her jump

Off a parapet injured

Her right knee and without

Healing correctly, led

To gangrene and complete

Amputation of the leg.

Despite this tragedy, Sarah

Bernhardt continued

To perform and sometimes

Without her false wooden

Leg - after a 1915 tour across

America, Bernhardt

Returned to France - to include

Performing into 1916.

May 1916 and the actress

Travelled on first visit

To the frontline trenches

Based in Toul, north

East France - motoring out

To see the troops

Bernhardt stepped onto six

Make shift stages.

Over three days she spent

Time to learn stories

Of brave deeds with men,

Apt to blushing as this

Actress heard them - one

Aviator Bernhardt

Met with medals, whose

MC had 7 palm branches.

The shared joke was where

He would put the eighth

Palm? little more than a boy

He would have them

Made smaller  - honored

To read them verses,

To add, to die in their midst

Would be an honour.

On visiting wounded solders

About to be seen by

Doctors, they insisted to wait

Until the actress had

Finished her entertainment -

These soldier audiences

Bernhardt found more inspiring

Than kings or queens.

With insistence to experience

Close quarters of the front,

Bernhardt persuaded a General

For a visit close to town

Post a Mouton - where Germans

Often bombarded, after

Objections he declared her worthy

To visit the Danger Zone.

Ms Bernhardt confessed being

Vexed, as that day the

Enemy did not fire - while good

For her party's safety

The actress, only six hundred

Yards away, would

Have been happy to pick a gun

And shoot at the Boche.

Declaring bad luck Bernhardt

Stated how her travels

In England and Scotland had

Never seen a zeppelin

Raid - closest was a few hours

After leaving one hotel -

It was half destroyed by bombs.

Sarah Bernhardt confided

As witness to allied determination.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Mme. Sarah Bernhardt. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 15 May 1916. P.8. Col.6. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12210082/Daily-Telegraph-May-15-1916.html>  [Accessed: 18 May 2016].

Source: File: Sarah Bernhardt. Online. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Bernhardt> Accessed 18 May 2016

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 18 May 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12210082/Daily-Telegraph-May-15-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Grace in the War Zone - Tuesday, 24 August 1915

Impression sketch of Grace Ellison  - by Jamie. See original at: 

A feminist Journalist, Grace Ellison,

A seeker of independence for women -

And ardent suffragette - took a journey

Out into the war zone.

Having seen the nurse at work

On frontline, drove deeper into a city

Laid into ruins - parking close by some

Cathedral Grace walked to where stood

French warrior, Jeanne De Arc.

The medieval figure, atop her horse,

Stood unharmed before the bombed 

Religious house - about her shoulders

Being wrapped flag of France.

Wishing she might have brought

The British flag for shared purpose,

Grace placed lilies by the statue's feet,

To walk across deserted streets.

At the wheel, Grace drove about

The cathedral that appeared to her 

As some bandaged soldier; propped

With hopeless sandbags - all carved

Ancient ornamentation gone.

Asking that no restoration attempts

Be made - to be a call to the children’s

Children and beyond - a barbaric symbol

Of lessons, cruelly learned.

Amid the unnamed city streets,

Grace walked - knowing what is left

Of population resided in cellars - while

Treating shells as thunderstorms.

From the peoples shelters to reappear

In the place, that had been a trade stand

For wool - where enemy once lived, to know

Where guns aim on ancient quarter.

Pondering amid the ruins, Grace

Considered the idea of souvenirs,

When a uniformed figure from ruins,

Was surprised to find her there.

In explanation of her mission

The officer offered his services,

Handed her a piece of the cathedral,

Proceeding to state its history.

Amid a story of ruins they looked

To where a French craft hovered above;

About which enemy smoke prompts rapid

Departure so they walked on.

Stopping by a shop with no door

They observed a youth carrying out

A barber's profession - as his sister sits,

To sell postcards of the ruins.

Then a German craft hovers

Overhead, and the office advises

Shelter in a cellar, but Grace refuses

To risk life outside, not inside.

Under ruins had no attraction -

As a bomb falls, Grace debated

To go on the high road - the sun sank

And the guns boom in distance.

Grace and officer lingered too

Long, when a line of soldiers comes

On - weary they sang and pick wayside

Flowers for their khaki coats.

Black as coal miners, they act

As going to a music hall than facing

A line of gunnery - one stated consolation

In their being able to sing.

To see a lady, not a nurse, in midst

Encourages them to tell this journalist

Everything, before Grace moved on to meet

French Nursing Corps.

Nurses based in a small village

Without any accommodation, Grace

Learned how a commanding officer offered

Shelter for the travelling journalist. 

Soon expected for dinner, into dusk

They drove - a road takes them is uneasy,

With twists and stones, to halt before another

Car, which is just a shadow.

On a mystery road to presbytery,

Where the commander lives, they take

Four imaginary turnings, to then pass by,

When fortune's guide appears.

As some good shepherd, with

White beard and staff, he showed way,

Leading the car like some biblical guide -

Finally to arrive at presbytery.

The place being cold and damp -

Deserted by the priest gone to war,

Whose mother still remained to look after

The visitors with food and fires.

Shown to her son's room where

Obligatory cross of the saviour's meek

Figure hung above the bed - to open wide

The window, un-tuned to sanctity.

Beyond presbytery is pitch black.

Downstairs loud officers assembled

Numbering ten gather in dining room - neat

With linen, silverware and flowers.

Levels of class were perpetuated,

While kitchen housed two chauffeurs,

Some domesticated refugees, an officer's

Servant, the shepherd and mother.

Who ate separately - before meal

The commanding officer initially sang

In company of an able officer organist, along

With Lieutenant on asthmatic harmonica, 

With Journalist eyes, Grace saw

How room vibrated to his strong voice.

They eat in happy company, as they confess

Tedium of waiting, waiting.

Talking distractions of riding,

Then followed more singing after eating-

The harmonica silenced - the large voice

Being left to perform alone.

the clock struck ten precisely.

After a cup of tea they all retired

For sleep, Grace learning why the man,

Who served them, had cried.

He told how his wife had been

Taken by the Germans - he knew

Not if she might then still be alive or dead;

Confiding to those in kitchen.

With breakfast to be prompt

At five a.m. the refugees and cure's

Mother made their beds on the landing -

With chauffeurs downstairs.

In goodnights Grace Ellison

Tired, then retired to her little, white

Washed room, to lay upon the narrow bed

With Christ overhead.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. An Englishwoman in the War Zone ii Motor Trip. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 23 August. P.7 Col 1-2. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11801605/Daily-Telegraph-August-24-1915.html [Accessed: 24 August 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 24 August 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11801605/Daily-Telegraph-August-24-1915.html

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

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Poem ~ Friends Reunited at Front - Thursday, 4 March 1915

Source: File: Prince.jpg, 2015. Dogged determination. World War One Great war Stories, Luton's Great War, told by its people today Submitted by Deejaya on 14 August 2014. 2 March 1915. [online] Available at: <http://www.worldwar1luton.com/blog-entry/dogged-determination> [Accessed: 4 March 2015].

i

Since the earliest months of conflict

And movements of enemy and allied

Forces that weaved through Belgium

And France, people fled their homes

In villages and towns often destroyed

Burnt to the ground –

Through such deserted places as these

English soldiers found other abandoned

Refugees – dogs of those gone or dead

Who then attached themselves to these

English troopers.

With displacement of animal's homes,

A refuge was created near Boulogne -

On the road to Wimereaux - whereby

Pets, dogs or other animals, found by

Soldiers would be looked after - until

They reclaimed by the human owners -

Their missing friends.

ii

One such story of dog and human friend

Could be recalled from the earliest days

Of an opening war starting August 1914.

A dedication and affection between man

And his closest friend to be recounted

In the month of March 1915.

In that late summer month James Brown

From his home in Hammersmith, London

Said goodbye to both his wife and Prince -

Their Irish Terrier. Private Brown called

To serve With the King's army in France

A horseman in the 1^st North Staffordshire's

Some time passed and Prince pined for

James’ Company – when on September

27^th his wife then noticed Prince had

Gone missing, she looked about - sadly

Unable to find him anywhere, she became

Afraid to write to her husband to explain.

iii

Two more months passed when a letter

Came for Mrs Brown from Mr Brown both

Solving and creating a mystery. Previously

Confessing that Prince was missing, a reply

Of her husband said he was sorry Prince

Not being found there, but that their terrier

Was now with him, stationed at the front line.

The story of Prince being found, had began

At Armentieres - Private Brown had returned

From a patrol and on that day as he rode

Back with other riders, amid the men was one

Standing with a dog, who walked toward him,

At first thinking the dog was very like his own

Irish Terrier, James Brown saw the man grin

To say, ‘I believe that this chap may be yours.’

In dismount James could still not believe his

Eyes until he knelt to say his name, ‘Prince?’

Who then greatly made a fuss of him.

With man and dog united as the fellow gave

Explanation how the Irish Terrier had travelled

Over to France, journeying with other troops.

Mr Brown's words to Mrs Brown explained his

Wonder; ‘Just fancy His coming and finding me.'

He added Prince, 'is quite settled Down with me.’

Then how her husband had found some old

Great coats, which he had used to make Prince

A coat to keep warm and how his faithful terrier

Was then adopted by the regiment as their pet.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. The Soldiers Dog. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 4 Mar. p.8. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11447670/Daily-Telegraph-March-4-1915.html [Accessed: 4 March  2015].

Source.,1915. The Dogged Determination Great War Stories. Submitted by Deejaya on 14 August 2014, [online] Available at: http://www.worldwar1luton.com/blog-entry/dogged-determination [Accessed: 4 March  2015].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 4 March  2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11447670/Daily-Telegraph-March-4-1915.html

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

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Poem ~ Football at the Front - Wednesday, 20 January 1915

Source: File: Football in air.jpg, 2015. 9 Facts About Football In The First World War By Amanda Mason, Historian. 18 January 1915. [online] Available at:< http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/9-facts-about-football-in-the-first-world-warImperial War Museum > [Accessed: 20 January 2015].

A father of two soldiers received letters

From his sons, in their frontline postings

Of January days - talking of eagerness,

For football and their frontline games.

On 15 January one son tells how a good

Day was had on the 14th - that afternoon

They beat another brigade battalion,

Three nil in a soccer game - the day being

Concluded by an enjoyable boxing match.

Among the attendees had been a dignitary

By name of General Sir Douglas Haig -

On that day,15 January, made a mixed own

Team with some chaps of the Flying Corps

Set to play 'rugger 'against West Ridings.

The son says how he organises one side,

While brother Jack in organises the match -

To gain support from the major for a lorry,

To carry the eager rugby players both ways.

Mention is made of one man - now absent

Being lost – young Freddy Turner a player

Who would have enjoyed seeing the contest;

A Sunday letter explains the rugby result.

The lad told how himself and Toggy Kendall

Played half - the game seemed a hour-play

Was actually only 25 minutes each way -

He notes how the West Ridings were in fact,

Undertaking a lot of training - playing many

Matches - and admits to his team loss, 10 nil.

The son went to state how the football game

Turned out to be’ rotten’ - butit gave good

Exercise with the result was that he could

Hardly move the next day – luxury came

In a lunatic asylum, by the gaining of a bath.

Afterwards they dined at six pm with Liverpool

Scottish - then a concert whose entertainers

Were better than usual regimental crowds

At the end a return to quarters was marked

By facing into gales and rain for the whole

Desperate walk back - getting there for 2 a.m.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Sport at the Front –‘ Rugger’ Behind the Lines. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 20 Jan. P.13. Col.5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11345903/Daily-Telegraph-January-20-1915.html [Accessed: 20 January 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 20 January 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11345903/Daily-Telegraph-January-20-1915.html

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

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