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 ~ Innocent Spies - Thursday, 2 August 1917

 Impression sketch: Innocent Spies. By Jamie

Liege - a Belgium city lying on river Meuse,

Where M'siuer Groneret a merchant shop

Keeper lived with wife and two daughters -

A well known family of Liege, whose head

Of house had influential status, was arrested.

Charges laid on Groneret were on grounds

Of spying - over 3 days the family underwent

A trial - while there had been no proof of given

Acts of espionage, this Belgium Groneret

Family under German held Liege, saw fate set.

The two young Groneret daughters, aged 14

And 20, after three days were transported,

Forced to stand beside a firing squad - the

Officer in charge ordered the soldiers to aim

And fire, executing the girl’s parents outright.

The officer approached the two stunned

Girls and forced them to stand where their

Father and mother lay dead - by their pools
Of blood, the German officer calmly looked 
Both girls in the eye and questioned them.

He said, 'tell me the names of your parents

Spying accomplices. If you tell me your

Lives will be spared, this I promise you.'

The youngest girl a moment later shook

Her head - her older sister gave her reply.

The young woman glared at the officer,

Her voice firm; 'If we speak we could

Cause fifty more people to be killed.

We would rather die alone.' The officer

Grabbed the young girl, pulling her aside.

With an indifferent voice the officer gave

The order to shoot the older girl - they

Aimed and fired and she fell dead over

Her mother and father - the distraught  

14 year old was forced to look on them.

All her family lay dead as the German

Officer promised her a pardon, but only

She gave the names of all her families

Accomplices - but the girl would not

Speak, believing she was to be shot.

Yet her fate was worsened as they

Began to torture her in unsaid ways,

Then given to the squad who were

Ordered to use her - finally broken

The Groneret girl found relief in death.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. Quadruple Murder - Fresh German Atrocity. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 01 August 1917. P.5. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214747/Daily-Telegraph-August-1-1917.html [Accessed: 02 August 2017].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 02 August 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214747/Daily-Telegraph-August-1-1917.html

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

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Poem ~ Prisoners Gain Freedom - Saturday, 8 January 1916

An image for  'Prisoners Gain Freedom'

From Germany to Tilbury,

Came an exchange of British

Prisoners, by return of Germans.

Out of 96 came 10 members

Of Royal Army Medical Corps.

The 10 came from various

Places of internment - their

Experiences to vary, compared

To those released from 

Ruhleben Internment Camp.

Men from the Medical Corps

Had been attending wounded

Men in the field, when captured -

One Canadian corporal and

Two others had been at Ypres.

Their party following closely

With the advancing British -

To be fired on, then captured -

Treated well, but behind

German lines that then altered.

Their guards had allowed

Them to be kicked at spat at

Another told how during a march

He fell out of line of four

Abreast, then be hit with a rifle.

The medical men had acted

As orderlies in various hospitals.

Most were made to feel awkward

But one Corporal said when

On duty, he had no problems.

Amid the other 86 British

Were some children, women

And 36 non-white people, to say

Conditions at Ruhleben

Were better - devoid of bullying.

A factor noted by them

Was of food improvements -

This came from the American

Embassy - where once

A week was received roast meat.

This relieved the tedium

Of their frequently poor diet -

Until relief came for them -

Having been detained

From the earliest time of war.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Released Prisoners - Arrival at Tilbury - Red Cross Men's Experiences. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 January 1916. P.7. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12083269/Daily-Telegraph-January-8-1916.html [Accessed: 8 January 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 8 January 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12083269/Daily-Telegraph-January-8-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Cavell: Shock in America - Saturday, 23 October 1915

Source: File: Execution of Edith Cavell cartoon.jpeg  [online] see an original image at: <http://www.trenchartofww1.co.uk/edith_cavell_44.html> [23 October 2015].

By way of American media, a new level

Had shifted from indignation at Edith Cavell's

Execution; 'horror and disgust' of brutality

Of German military, in opposition of American

Plea and premeditated murder of a woman.

In a complete report, The New York Herald

Predicted waves of horror about the world;

In a killing of a nurse, in a matter of military

Routine - New York Tribune told of a German

Woman in Britain given a lenient sentence.

Could then German policies or conscience

See mercy towards woman as a weakness?

The British Telegraph sported American unity

Against the island's enemy - who would pay

Dearly for loathing raised in both countries.

For some there was no surprise in atrocities

Carried out in Belgium; 'Zabern military

Despotism’ seemed to have no limitations -

Edith Cavell's unapologetic murder might only

Increase recruiting, as any Zeppelin raid.

Back to an American view came Wall Street

Journal, in asking if it would be too much

To request Germany to promise to halt such

Actions on women and to stop such murders?

Or maybe this was merely for amusement?

German-American viewpoint also expressed

An indignity, via editor of Staats Zietung,

Herman Ridder spoke; Cavell being executed

As an unnecessary shock - while Secretary 
Of State, Mr Lansing, was asked for opinion.

Would there be protests or action taken?

But the deed was made and anything done

After would have no viable effect - an equal

Opinion from Washington President Wilson

Said nothing might improve this situation.

Maybe America was at war,
In everything but taking arms?

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. America Roused - 'Horror and Disgust.' The Daily Telegraph, [online] 23 October. P.10. Col.1. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11936838/Daily-Telegraph-October-23-1915.html [Accessed: 23 October 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 23 October 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11936838/Daily-Telegraph-October-23-1915.html

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

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Poem ~ The Orduna Incident - Monday, 19 July 1915

Impression sketch of SS Orduña - by Jamie. See the original at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Ordu%C3%B1a

In the dead of night at sea,

SS Orduna was sailing

In early hours of 9 July 1915 -

Her destination heading

For New York, a passenger

Liner with its history in war.

Barely a year old the Belfast

Built Ocean Liner had

A part in a rescue of Russian

Crew of Loch Torridon

A sailing ship with a leak that

Had moved timber to Ireland.

While a question might remain

Over the Captain's name,

The New York arrival of Orduna

Resulted in a hearing over

The ship being targeted, around

The time of sinking of SS Leo.

In replying to his questioning

Captain Taylor said how

There had been no warning

Of an attack, refusing to say

More saying that a passenger,

Baron RozenKrantz saw it all.

In a full explanation the Baron

Told how Orduna had

Sailed from Liverpool 8 July,

At 2.30 in the afternoon -

It was then in the early hours

A vessel was seen just ahead.

The time was between five

And six a.m. - the small

Boat, close by, on the side,

That was turned towards 

The Orduna, had two painted

American flags, to raise suspicion.

Captain Taylor took the action

Avoiding the boat -

The Baron and others on deck

Thought how the boat

Might hide a submarine - with

A wide berth, she was forgotten.

Once the vessel was left behind,

Within some minutes,

The Baron raised his glasses

Out to sea, to see a white

Streak approaching - all saw

A torpedo moving at half a mile.

This was when the Orduna

Was ordered to react,

Described as jumping ahead

And swerving about,

So the torpedo missed her

Rudder, by only twenty yards.

Passengers with glasses then

Looked out to the sailing

Boat, in order to make the name.

Thomas Graham stated

It was likely to be 'Normanie' -

Or something very like that.

With the Orduna sailing on

To New York - as on that

Same date 9 July, the voyage

Of SS Leo came from

Philadelphia with their general

Cargo heading towards Brittan.

20 miles from the spot where

Orduna had been attacked,

The SS Leo was later torpedoed,

By German U-20 who had

Forced the sailing barque to hide

Their presence, the crew stated.

With 'Normandy' was detained

Night of 9 July, at Liverpool,

The Captain denied crew's word.

The Leo, a Russian vessel,

While lost, all the crew survived

From underhand German tactic.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Disgraceful Trick. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 19 July. P.9. Col.5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11732141/Daily-Telegraph-July-19-1915.html [Accessed: 19 July 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 19 July 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11732141/Daily-Telegraph-July-19-1915.html

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

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Poem ~ The Torture of Panasuk - Thursday, 22 April 1915

Impression Sketch of Russian Scout, Panasuk and his nurse - By Jamie Mann. An original images can be seen at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Russian-Scout-German-Torture-Panasuk/dp/B000S8DL5A

With Russian determination along the Eastern

Front, they fought the enemy armies

About Styri - While the enemy took a foothold

At Arawzik - Russia counter attacked,

To recapture the position and taking prisoners.

Another capture of guns and the enemy forces

Happened about Rozankrane - with use

Of bayonet charge and a mined German trench.

About Memel, Russians retook Andrejeov,

To find many of their own Cossack men tortured.

Four Russian men had been bayoneted to death

One had been hacked about from

The head to foot while 34 other wounded Russians

Suffered various tortures - among

The rescued told of a young Russian at Ilasoga.

A Russian air Scout by the name of Panasuk,

Had been among those captured by

Germans - ten Germans had said to be involved,

Who thought the Russian, in his role

Of scout, would prove useful as a spy for them.

About the Russian Scout they gathered soon

To start to attempt to persuade

Panasuk to become a German agent  - to gain

Information from his Russian

Army - indignant Panasuk completely refused.

One of the German Officers grabbed a pair

Of wire cutting shears, to cut

Of part of Panasuk's earlobe -then said to him

'Will that make you speak?'

The young Russian Scout gave no reply.

Another Officer threw a fist at Panasuk's

Nose to break the cartilage -

The other officer made another cut to his ear -

In this operation of torture

They threw blows to his mouth to gain silence.

With increasing agonising pain Panasuk

Suffered as they cut more

From his ears  - after numbers of hours,

When they could not gain

Any speech, they sent him to confinement.

Waiting until darkness, Panasuk found

A lapse in his German

Jailers and in the darkness he escaped.

In safety of recovery,

Panasuk was to find himself interviewed.

Various papers told his story of torture,

To include a Petrograd

Correspondent of London Evening News.

His nurse sat with him

To show the vicious wounds to Panasuk.

The story came to some conclusion

To tell how Panasuk,

Was to meet the Grand Duke Nicholas,

Who decorated him,

For his bravery in stand against an enemy.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. A Russian Hero - Victim of German Officers Torture. The Sun, [online] 22 Apr. P.7. Col.4. Available at: http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=CHP19150422.2.44.2 [Accessed: 1 April 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 22 April 2015).

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=CHP19150422.2.44.2

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

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