Poem ~ Private Thomas Hughes VC - Friday, 3 November 1916 - Sunday, 5 November 1916

Source: File: Private Thomas Hughes VC. His injuries continued to trouble him after the war. See an original image at: <http://www.canadiancolour.ca/2015/03/11/john-chipman-kerr-vc/> [Accessed 03 November 2016]

A soldier from the British Isles infantry,

Joined the list of names from Somme

VC awards - born in Ireland Corravoo,

Castleblayney 30 May 1885; Thomas

Hughes answered the call for soldiers.

He became Private Hughes 3-5027

In the 6th Battalion, The Connaught

Rangers - aged 31 by July 1916's

Opening Somme offensive; various

Battles marked out different stages.

Two months into the onslaught saw

Concentration around the commune

Of Guillemont - on the British sector's
Right edge stood alongside French

6th army - having already seen battle.

The purpose then, was to prevent

Formation of a stronghold salient

On north side of Delville Wood, that

Was then ringed by German hold.

Here the Connaught Rangers fought.

From Irish shores Private Thomas

Hughes was no stranger to races,

Having before the war worked

As a jockey - Although this terrain

Was tough, with no sign of a horse.

Thomas worked quickly on his feet.

The official opening commenced

3 September, as Private Hughes

Dashed alongside the Rangers,

When a wound stopped his tracks.

Luckily to be just a minor injury quickly

Dressed - with impatience Hughes

Went out again - catching company

Of his fellow Rangers he looked out

To the racetrack; Hughes saw danger.

A short distance ahead Private Hughes

Spotted movement of semi-concealed

German machine gun - in surprise

Of those taking shelter Hughes sped

Into a game of dodge and running.

The machine gunner focused on

Him alone - in rapid reaction Hughes

Sprinted and zigzagged to avoid

The barrel's aim - although a bullet

Or two were to find a mark on him.

As in one moment of either then

Or nothing, Hughes did not wait

Or think, but reacted to take aim.

Hughes feet carried him fast - one

Shot and the gunner had fallen.

Suddenly Hughes found himself

At the front of the machine gun.

In shock or relief, the remainder

Of the crew put up their hands,

He marched back his prisoners.

The rangers moved on, as their

Fellow hero had remaining wounds

Dressed - With Hughes determined

Actions he was to be recommended

For an award of the Victoria Cross.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Fifteen New V.C's. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 27 October 1916. P.8. Col.7. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213502/Daily-Telegraph-October-27-1916.html> [Accessed: 03 November 2016].

Source: File: Battle of the Somme: Tale of a forgotten Monaghan hero.

Available at: <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-36665702> [Accessed 03 November 2016]

Source: File: Thomas Hughes VC. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hughes_(VC)> [Accessed 03 November 2016]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 03 November 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213502/Daily-Telegraph-October-27-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Prisoners Of The Easter Rising - Friday, 12 May 1916

Source: File: A sketch of inside the GPO during the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin Ireland. (National Museum of Ireland) [online] See an original image at: <http://hubpages.com/education/1916-Easter-Rising-Sean-McDermott-executed-Kilmainham-Jail-Arbour-Hill-Stoneybatter-Dublin-Irish-history-Ireland> [Accessed: 12 May 2016]

Within the Irish Easter Monday rising, 

Came a tale of a Royal Fusiliers officer -

The Lieutenant was captured by rebels,

And held prisoner in the General Post

Office - After being searched for arms

His hands were bound by telephone wire.

Over the following days the Lieutenant

Observed how the insurgents consisted

Of various trade experts; electricians

Engineers and an explosive expert from

Germany - an elaborate method was set

To ensure the prisoners did not move.

Kept down into the cellar the prisoners

Were blocked in by boxes, amid stores

Of dynamite, cordite, gelignite including

Guncotton - a light was left on to reveal

One box of gelignite, set up with fuses -

Bombs were placed about the cellar.

Within this setting the rebels situated

Their prisoners - left to debate their

Fate, as rats in a trap - all together

They kept calling out, until a rebel

Appeared to say 'its alright boys' -

By then the GPO was well on fire.

Taking them to a yard at this buildings

Rear down into a corridor, emerging

In a room where they faced a woman,

Dressed like a man - she stood, waving  

A revolver at them - along with threats

She spat at English lieutenant's face.

After a short time the prisoners were

Led outside - they were to be used

As a protective screen in order for

Rebels to escape - pushed to front
Of prisoners stood the Lieutenant,

With a private of the Dublin Fusiliers.

Ahead of them, at some 150 yards,

Were watching English troops who

Manned a machine gun - a rebel

Held a gun to his head; in promise

To fire, unless he ran - taking to his

Feet the officer was shot at ten yards.

The English Lieutenant fell forwards

In the street, wounded in the thigh.

The officer looked about to see

Behind him, how the rebel unload

A gun into the Dublin Fusiliers head.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Officers Escape - Help From A Rebel. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 May 1916. P.11. Col.2. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12209758/Daily-Telegraph-May-8-1916.html>  [Accessed: 12 May 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 12 May 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12209758/Daily-Telegraph-May-8-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Retribution - Tuesday, 9 May 1916

Source: File: Thomas MacDonagh. [online] See original image at: <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_MacDonagh.png> [Accessed: 9 May 2016]

Source: File: Thomas Clarke. [online] See original image at: <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_Clarke_the_brave.jpg> [Accessed: 9 May 2016]

Source: File: Patrick Pearse. [online] See original image at: <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Patrick_Pearse.jpg> [Accessed: 9 

Source: File: Michael Mallin - remembering a forgotten leader from the 1916 Rising by Brendan Daly. [online] See: <http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/-michael-mallin-remembering-a-forgotten-leader-from-the-1916-rising-159930455-237512301.html> [Accessed: 9 May 2016]

With problematic issues providing evidence,

Irish rebel court martial’s were held

In secrecy - a conveyor belt of justice began

With arrests of 3,430 men - along

With 79 women, some knowing of little hope.

The beginning of trials 2 May ended with death

Sentences on heads of three men;

Tom Clarke, Thomas MacDonagh Patrick Pearse.

3 May dawned in Stonebreakers Yard,

Kilmainham Gaol, to be executed by firing squad.

In letters allowed to families, Tom Clarke felt

Relief of execution, from alternative

Dread of prison - where he had spent years -

Four days later on eve of Michael

Mallin's execution, he also wrote to his family.

Home lay on road from Richmond Barracks -

Close to Kilmainham Gaol, Mallin

Had hoped to see his wife and children

On passing - but only the dog

Prinnie was sat by the door - Mallin was torn.

Emotive words of his final letter reflected

How the revolution's leaders would

Have felt - the executions continued despite

Irish MP John Redmond's warning -

Asquith saw seeds of lasting Irish troubles.

by Jamie Mann.

Source: File: The Irish Times. Easter Rising 1916 – the aftermath: arrests and executions. By Shane Hegarty and Fintan O’Toole Thu, Mar 24, 2016. Online. Available at: <http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/easter-rising-1916-the-aftermath-arrests-and-executions-1.2583019> Accessed 9 May 2016

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 9 May 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12209706/Daily-Telegraph-May-5-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Rebel Woman Doctor - Sunday, 7 May 1916

Impression sketch of Doctor Kathleen Lynn. [online] See original image at: <http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/1916-diary-of-rebel-doctor-kathleen-lynn-1.2583254.jpg> [Accessed: 7 May 2016]

By travelling courier news,

The exchange Telegraph

Company received details

From Dublin’s recent siege.

Confirmation how rebellious

Sinn Feiners had gained

German and Austrian support,

Was in arrest of an activist.

Wearing uniform of a Dual

Monarchy an Austrian

Officer was discovered in

The burning GPO surrendered.

Another two Austrians

Were also arrested, within

A house of Balls Bridge area -

They had been making bombs.

Among arrests in City Hall

Was a fighter with bandolier

Of cartridges and revolver -

Being Doctor Kathleen Lynn.

In her return from USA

As a trained medic to become

Chief medical officer of the

Easter rising, she was defiant.

In their identification during

Arrest, Doctor Lynn described

Herself as a Red Cross Doctor,

As well as a conscious belligerent.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Austrian Officer Captured. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 4 May 1916. P.9. Col.5. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12209623/Daily-Telegraph-May-4-1916.html>  [Accessed: 7 May 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 7 May 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12209623/Daily-Telegraph-May-4-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ English Women and Irish Rebels - Wednesday, 3 May to Thursday, 4 May 1916

Source: File: Soldiers gather on Dublin street. The Battle of Mount Street Bridge: Easter Rising 1916. [online] See original image at: <http://thewildgeese.irish/profiles/blogs/the-battle-of-mount-street-bridge-easter-rising-1916> [Accessed: 2 May 2016]

With stories of Irish rebellion

Emerging, were tales of how

No one was safe in the city

Of Dublin.

In spending a holiday in Ireland's

Capital, Dublin, was experience

Of a young lady and friend, to

Be targeted.

With troops in the city in a house

Opposite, the ladies were serving

Food and drink to troops, when

Shots fired.

Hidden within nearby shrubbery

Rebels, described as rioters, fired.

English soldiers shouted to women

To run.

The two women ran back across

Road, as bullets zinged about -

Behind them soldiers and officer

Were hit.

The fight began 1.20 p.m. as two

Women and another two, sped

Upstairs to the third floor, to look

Out the window.

Gunshots began by Sinn Feiners -

This time from direction of a lane

A bullet cut the blind and ricocheted

On a wall.

The four women turned to flee

As another two shots targeted

Them - a bullet grazed cheek

Of one.

Taking this as confirmation that

The house was targeted by

Rebels, they set to shelter night

In basement.

When the firing finally ceased by

Evening, the ladies emerged and

And resumed their intent to serve

Tea to soldiers.

On stating how their house was

Targeted by rebels, they followed

The advice of the troops to move

Next door.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Women As Targets. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 1 May 1916. P.11. Col.3. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12209367/Daily-Telegraph-May-1-1916.html>  [Accessed: 3 May 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 3 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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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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