Poem ~ Tragedy Of The Belgian Prince, Thursday 9 August 1917 - Sunday 12 August 1917

Source: File: Two Survivors of the Belgian Prince. See an original image at: <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-40831765> [Accessed 06 August 2017]

A steamer, Belgian Prince, out at sea

Some 200 miles from Irish coastline,

With a crew of varied origins - they

Included an American black man,

William Snell and a man of Tyneside

Thomas Bowman - Chief Engineer.

Built by Laing James and Sons Ltd

In 1904, the cargo ship was built

To reach 10.5 knots - The Belgian

Prince then owned by Prince Line.

Tuesday 31 July 1917, Thomas

Bowman was on deck; time 8 p.m.

175 miles distant from Tory Island

On Donegal coast, a German sub

U 55 was on a mission to sink any

Allied shipping - commanded by

Oberleutnant zur See Wilhelm

Werner; Belgian Prince was seen.

The U boat's engines were thrown

Into action and a course was begun.

The U boat launched a first torpedo.

Then struck Belgian Prince lurched

Sideways - chief engineer Thomas

Bowman fell on deck, hit by debris.

Boat's crew of 42 men took action

As the vessel gave a list, taking

To the lifeboats. Once in the water

The submarine came alongside

Fired on the disabled Belgian Prince

To foil attempts to call assistance.

The crew in the lifeboats were

Ordered by the U55 to remain

Alongside - with no other choice

They did so - a veteran of close

Escapes Thomas Bowman, told

How they were ordered aboard.

Among the 42 standing on the

Submarines deck Captain Hassan

Was separated and taken below -

Their prize from steamer Belgian

Prince that now hung limp in sea -

U boat crew focused on the crew.

While some took axes to the life

Boats other Germans removed

The lifebelts from all but 8 men;

Told to strip off their outer clothing -

Oars, balers and gratings were

Taken from the smashed lifeboats.

Without any consideration of 41

Men’s lives, the U55 crew climbed

Into their vessel and closed the

Hatches - Thomas Bowman told

How the U boat began to move

To wash them all into the waves.

One of eight Thomas Bowman

Still wore a life belt - a number

Of his fellow crew floundered

In the water to be pulled under

By the U55's swell - others swum

Back to the wrecked steamer.

By then the submarine was two

Miles distant, their Captain's fate

Unknown - hanging in water was

2nd Cook William Snell, of Florida

Jacksonville, and able Seaman

George Silessi; time passed.

The youngest apprentice aged 16,

Edward Sharp was calling out

For assistance - Bowman dived

Back into water and swam

To the boy to reassure the lad -

Bowman held him above water.

Hours passed into darkness,

As the figures left were carried

By the sea. Thomas attempted

To keep Edward awake but

The lad losing consciousness

Succumbed to exposure - he had

To let the boy drift from his hold.

Midnight was judged to pass

Still in darkened hours - the final

Survivors waited for daylight -

Finally some time after dawn,

Emerged on the sea the floating

Hulk of steamer Belgian Prince.

Smoke still drifted up from wreck

As Thomas Bowman summed

Energy to crawl through water,

When an explosion from debri

Halted chance to reach any kind

Of safety; around him were bodies.

Crewmates hung limp in the water -

In their isolation two others were

Still alive - able Seaman George

Silessi had already returned to their

Stricken steamer, to remain for hours

When a submarine lifted from sea.

While not certain this was the same

That had attacked them, Silessi saw

Numbers of Germans climb aboard

To claim any loot - Silessi slipped

Away into the water and made for

For the remains of a small boat.

William Snell, the American cook

Had also spent the same hours

Afloat, having concealed lifebelt

Under his clothing - time and water

Had caused him to drift in distance;

In daylight he saw Belgian Prince.

Holding onto his life Snell began

To head back towards the wreck -

At some distance he judged a mile,

Snell paused - close to the Prince

He saw the black U boat shape

To believe Germans had returned.

Stalling his return by his hesitation

He saw the final act to finish her -

The deck gun flashed twice with

A crack upon the hulk, the Belgian

Prince by her stern, finally sank -

He could do nothing but watch.

The slowly rising sun suggested

7 a.m. - was William Snell the only

Man left? The U-boat vanished to an

Underwater route, when little more

Than an hour later, a British boat

Found 3 survivors with 39 dead.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. Murder On The High Seas - Hums Fiendish Callousness. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 04 August 1917. P.8. Col.3. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214750/Daily-Telegraph-August-4-1917.html> [Accessed: 09 August 2017].

Source:  McCauley. C. File: BBC News: World War One: The sinking of the SS Belgian Prince 100 years on. Available at: <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-40831765> [Accessed 09 August 2017]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 09 August 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214750/Daily-Telegraph-August-4-1917.html

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

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Poem ~ Battle's Deluge, Friday 3 August 1917 - Sunday 5 August 1917

Source: File: Impression Sketch of Mud: Gilbert Rogers. See an original image at: <https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/mud-6619/search/actor:rogers-gilbert-18811956/page/1/view_as/grid> 
[Accessed 03 August 2017]

Rain, not just any old rain but heavy rain -

Wednesday 1 August 1917 - deceitfully

Mirrored an English Summer's day across

Flanders plains. Whilst hurried umbrellas

Populated English streets, the Tommy

And Poilu faced storm clouds; a job was

Underway for the third battle for Ypres.

A telegram penned by Sir Douglas Haig,

Written midday of the first August day,

Told of endless rainfall for 24 hours.

Through the darkness of sodden night,

An English line lay south of the Canal

Between Ypres-Comines - northwards

The enemy counter attacks opened up.

The heavy German counter attacks

Were actively repulsed, but by what

Cost? Ground held by allied artillery

In darkness, held onto the railway

Line between Ypres-Roulers - against

All odds night raids proved a success.

Raids include Bois Grenier - another

Telegram followed ten hours later  -

Haig told of further fierce counter

Attacks formed in strength northeast

Of Ypres, between the ground

St Julien and Westhoek - the allies

Held on against the enemy forces.

They clung to higher grounds taken

Tuesday - despite stubborn exchanges

Those advanced troops were forced

From St Julien - while Westhoek

Village experienced determined

Enemy; western outskirts were held.

Another operation had success.

A battle front line was redrawn,

Over Zillebeke- Zandvoorde road.

Fighting, as Haig wrote, continued

From afternoon at Reulers-Ypres

Railways lines, while Yser canal

Ground was gained on east side -

But do not envision a clean picture.

Rain, rain, rain over 24 hours - such

A consistent downpour like a grey

Steel blur - a salient in 360 degrees

Found the air awash. July had been

Fine, but delays for French readiness

Coincided with unrepentant rain -

Soaking, filthy and endlessly pouring.

In contrast rain elsewhere funnelled

By solid homes, where civil people

Emerged from doors to hurry along.

Young children might leap to slam

Feet hard into puddles, their mothers

Reprimand such childish behaviour;

A boot slides in Passchendaele mud.

Weighed down soldiers; a barrage of

Speeding shells slicing through rain

Slam into soft ground - a dank earth

Skewered by rain pellets and machine

Shells - both collide to explode forth

Spews of liquid mud clouds - amid

All this frail, determined men fought.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. Allied Advance In Flanders - Fierce Counter-Attacks - Over 5,000 Prisoners. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 01 August 1917. P.5. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214749/Daily-Telegraph-August-2-1917.html [Accessed: 01 August 2017].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 01 August 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214749/Daily-Telegraph-August-2-1917.html

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

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Poem ~ Fishing Boat Versus U-boat - Thursday, 5 April 1917 - Friday, 6 April 1917

Impression sketch of French fishing boat Hyacinth Yvonne, sinking a German submarine by Jamie. See an original image at: <http://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/1307670/wwi-u-boat-sunk-by-a-french-fishing-boat/> [Accessed 5 April 2017]

By contradictory respect

For those who sailed the seas,

Wartime orders of U-boat

Commanders were to sink

Allied vessels.

Self-protection was advised

In wariness for all those at sea.

Campaigns of submarines

Of Germany centred about

British isles.

U-boat missions were to cut

Trade routes - German intentions

Were once again renewed;

Breaking Sussex pledge

To distress the US.

Any boat large or small

Might become a U-boat victim,

As was the intention

In an encounter with

One fishing crew.

A six-man crew of a French

Fishing boat found themselves

Confronted, in the shape

Of a surfaced German

U-boat.

The two crews regarded

Each other, separated by yards

Of waves that carried

Them in a union of

Sea currents.

The German commander

Called out to the French captain

Orders to abandon their

Fishing vessel, but the

Men refused.

From under a cover,

The French revealed their single

Small gun, which they

Then aimed and fired

On the U-boat.

A Furious commander

Ordered his crew to sink them

And their boat - for

Over twenty minutes

Two sides fought.

Despite the fishing vessel

Hit various times, was refusal

To give in - the French

Crew kept up fire

On U-boat's skin.

A journal report via

Paris, told the story how that

Six French fishermen

Made a decisive hit

To sink enemy.

Yet a mystery would

Centre around the claim - were

Such fishermen actually

A decoy vessel, called

A Q-ship?

Such boats sailed

With intent to lure submarines

To the sea's surface -

Hyacinthe Yvonne

Being one.

Part of the French

Navy the story of Hyacinthe

Yvonne was in fact

An armed patrol

Vessel; a Q-Ship.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. U-boat Sunk By Fishermen. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 4 April March 1917. P.4. Col.6. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214428/Daily-Telegraph-April-4-1917.html> [Accessed: 05 April 2017].

Source: File: List of Shipwrecks in March 1917. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shipwrecks_in_March_1917> [Accessed 05 April 2017]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 05 April 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214428/Daily-Telegraph-April-4-1917.html

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

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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 ~ Universal Conscription - Friday, 19 May 1916

Source: File: German recruitment poster. [online] See an original image at: <http://mentalfloss.com/article/12383/21-world-war-i-recruitment-posters-around-globe> [Accessed: 19 May 2016]

A German version of Lord Kitchener Wants You poster. 'You too should join the Reichswehr.'

With tradition of voluntary army service 

Having waned, 1916 had seen the 

Military Service Act come into force -

A pre curser had been the Derby Scheme,
To encourage type of 'moral conscription.'

From the spring the act introduced

By law, the liability of classes

Of men, aged between 18 and 40 years -

Exempt were religious ministers or

Widowers with children as dependents.

Will Thorne, union founder and Labour

Parliament member, had volunteered

At the war's start - As Lieutenant Colonel

General Secretary of a union, Thorne

Remained to play a part on home front.

By Thorne's request, as to compulsory

Ages for military service in other

Countries, the information provided

Came from Mr Tennant, Scottish MP

And Under-Secretary of State for War.

The published graph showed slight

Variations - Service in Belgium began

On 18th birthday, to end after reaching

33 (in peace) - in France it was after

19th year, to end aged 28 in the October.

For Russia, a man would be 20 years

Until reaching 43rd year; Montenrgro

Served from 18 to 62, while Serbia,

Starting aged 18, ended on 50 birthday -

For Italy it was 20 until 39 year reached.

In the country of Japan, a man could

Enlist between 17 and 20 years, until

End of service at 39 years - across

In Turkey was only for five years from

March after 20 birthday; to end 25 years.

From the side of opposition, Austria

Called men on their 18th birthday - in

Times of normality to end on 42 year;

For the war men were called up to 55;

For active service was 1/1 after 21st.

Germany, like Japan, called for their

Men aged 17, for military service

Until 45th Birthday - while active

Service started after their 20th year;

A clause was added for time of war.

Harold Tennant told how in war time

There was no claim in final Discharge

Dates regarding Austria, Germany

Or Russia, as well as France; Austrian

And German conscripts were called
After age of 17 - likely at any time.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Foreign Armies - Ages Of Service. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 18 May 1916. P.10. Col.4. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12210152/Daily-Telegraph-May-18-1916.html>  [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/12210152/Daily-Telegraph-May-18-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Irish Sentiment In France - Tuesday, 2 May 1916

Source: File: Army recruiting poster, 1915, featuring Michael O'Leary. [online] See original image at: <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michael_O'Leary_WWI_poster.jpg> [Accessed: 2 May 2016]

Irish Troops were out in France, where

Their bravery had been proved -  

As shown by Michael O'Leary in 1915.

In the knowledge of home situation,

The sentiment of Irish Troops

Were said to be very close to dismay.

The pen of Reuter’s correspondent

Told how the press in Germany,

Set out to highlight Irish revolution.

A regiment of Irish men stationed

In France reacted, by giving

The Germans a few harrowing days.

Stationed about Hulluch, in region

Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Irish
Troops saw revolt as German led.

That unrest back home had been

'Man made sedition' - word

Of Reuters told of bitter toned voices.

Men of Connaught, Munster spoke

In Connemara tones of armed

Dirty fellows, playing German games.

One Irish tone promised in five minutes

with Roger Casement, how he

Would die content, in under that time.

With likely need to smooth matters

Over, the 16th Irish Division

Was attributed to share same feelings.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Disgusted Irish in France. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 1 May 1916. P.10. Col.5. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12209367/Daily-Telegraph-May-1-1916.html>  [Accessed: 2 May 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 2 May 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12209367/Daily-Telegraph-May-1-1916.html

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

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