Poem ~ Invasion of Brussels - Saturday, 22 August 1914

Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is described as a city of contrasts,

Being divided into upper and lower town of 600,000 inhabitants.

The lower quarter industries conflict with upper aristocracy quarter -

Where once had stood the Dukes of Brabant’s noble castle,

Now stands a royal palace to the south of a grand park.

Once a hunting ground for Netherlands sovereignty.

Over gradual years, a removal of 5 miles of ancient walls of the town

Allowed the capital to expand, giving over to grand boulevards,

Gardens and stately buildings stand - of the many ancient gateways

Only one such remained - of this and other entries to the city.

An enemy appeared on the morning of 20 August '14 - 6 a.m.

This cavalry of the German nation entered a suburb of the city

Tervueren - a municipality linked to Brussels by a processional avenue.

Closed doors and dark shadows of house shutters marked the hour.

King Albert of Brussels proclaimed the order to make this surrender.

By early day M. Max the Burgomaster made contact by field telephone,

With German Commanders to meet and make negotiations.

German General staff inferred they have no reason to occupy Brussels,

Only to march through and round the city, which would be left in peace.

There was to be no German flag of occupation hoisted in the capital.

While these minutes unfold strange rumours ran through official lines,

Of the United States wished to take the city under protection.

But there was no such confirmation - America remains neutral.

7am and the eastern exits were taken over by massed German Cavalry,

With skirmishes in the area German army corps marched into Brussels.

Comes the phalanx of German foot soldiers, the Black Brunswick Hussars, 
With deaths head badge on their busbies, rolled in to take possession

Of the Carabineer barracks. Dull patient Germans hardened by fight,

Awaiting orders, they exchange some guarded talk with the townsfolk.

2pm as forces march in and an appeal is made to the people of Brussels

To refrain from acts of provocation and to help maintain order.

At this German strategy in Belgium, France issues deepest sympathy.

by Jamie Mann

Anon., 1914. Brussels: Past and Present. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 22 Aug. p.5. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11034674/Daily-Telegraph-August-22-1914.html [Accessed: 22nd August 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 22 August 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11034674/Daily-Telegraph-August-22-1914.html

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

#WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1 #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #BrusselsWW1 #BelgiumWW1

Poem ~ Story of an Atrocity - Friday, 14 August 1914

Day upon day come accounts of German’s brutality,

And that army’s unceasing violations of war.

One such story happened between Namur and Liege,

In the small Belgian village of Pontllac.

Riding in one day soldiers of the Germans 17^th Hussars

From the German Duchy, Mecklenburge.

Riding smart and proud came solid bodies upon steeds.

On this quiet day the villagers watched,

These mounted Hussars in splendid formation arrived

Where no resistance was made.

These soldiers in demand for food, was freely given.

After they ate, like wild drunkards,

They charged their mounts about the village streets,

To fire carbines at house windows.

Two hidden Belgian soldiers made reaction, fired back.

In revenge an officer aimed at an innocent

And calmly emptied his revolver into the man’s head.

Then the Hussars took a council worker,

Put a rope about his neck, to drag him around the streets.

They entered a home and ordered a villager,

To phone other villages in the district and recount false news;

That all was safe and to have no fear.

So quite gently a loaded revolver was held against their head.

This villager, as warned by the mayor,

Bravely heeded they spoke carefully by phone in Walloon Patois,

A regional dialect unknown to German foes.

By this defensive deception other villagers were then warned.

Satisfied these Germans left with loot,

And some 17 villagers being employed to dig their trenches.

Taking old men made to march on foot,

Before the mounted Hussars in defence against any Belgians.

With guns now loaded with Dum-Dum bullets:

On finding the pointed bullet did not inflict a severe wound.

The filed the bullet edges till jagged.

Now their bullets expanding on impact to make maximum hurt.

So this tale is one of many others,

From correspondents in the field, to give the British public

The reality of atrocity against the rules of war.

by Jamie Mann

Anon., 1914. Fresh Stories of German Brutality. The Telegraph, [online] 14 Aug. p.2. Col.5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11025941/Daily-Telegraph-August-14-1914.html [Accessed: 14th August 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 14 August 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11025941/Daily-Telegraph-August-14-1914.html

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

#WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1 #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #BegiumWW1