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/

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Europe

Poem ~ Japan Battle for Tsingtao - Monday, 5 October 1914

From Tokio, on Saturday, comes a report.

The Japanese army in preparing for assault

On Tsingtao, are under constant attacks

On ships and forts - a German plane twice

Tried to attack Japanese vessels but failed.

A Japanese plane chased, fighting back, 

With bombs against a captive a balloon

Being moved to Tsingtao - damage unknown.

In Pekin, on 3 October, the Shantung railway,

Is taken under control of Japanese, between

Tsinanfu to Weihsien, for which the Chinese

Do not agree – Japan replied they could not

Allow Germans, In opposing their strategy

In their operation against Tsingtao, to control

A railway at their rear - They quoted a treaty

Of the Chino-German Treaty of 1898 is proof

That the rail line is essentially German.

As Part of China, Tsingtao is today called Qingdao,

Having then being a German colony since 1898 - 

The reason for this situation resulted from murders

Of two Germans missionaries, that happened 

In the 19th Century – Germany was only calmed 

Accepting China's offer of a colony on a 99-year lease; 

Due to end in 1997 - until 1914 Germany had mined,

For seventeen years, the Japanese and China seas.

In 1898 the killings at Shantung called for German

Action. Admiral Von Diedrich swiftly occupied 

The Chinese Barracks in the bay of Kiau-chau. 

On that same day, in spite of protests by a Chinese 

General  - The German flag raised on that ground – 

To appease the Germans China agreed to lease

Lands to Germany, who built a naval port and base,

Considering this to be their foot in the Far East, 

Where up to 4,000 German troops were stationed. 

Even a few days before Japan declared war,

On Germany, General Mitsuomi Kamio,

Was ordered by his government, on 16 August 

To prepare to besiege the German controlled port.

Then Japan issued an ultimatum to Germany,

For all their troops and forces be removed, 

From the Japanese and Chinese waters, 

Leaving control of the port with Japan.

After the affirmation of war on 23 August,

On 2 September, General Mitsuomi Kamio’s

18th Division of 23,000 men and 142 guns

Bombarded the port – a wary Britain sent

1,500 troops to assist Japan and observe

The actions taking place out in the East;

Germany was to hold out for two months.

The enemy garrison, being outnumbered,

At 6 to 1, eventually surrendered on 

7 November, finally handing over the port 

On 10 November: To locate elsewhere, 

British troops withdrew, while admiration 

Was made for General Kamio's siege tactics.

Of night raid and frontal attacks - the type

Soon to be employed on the western front.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Japan and Kiao-Chau - Big Assault Preparing - Aeroplanes and Ships. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 5 Oct. p.8. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11137076/Daily-Telegraph-October-5-1914.html [Accessed: 5 October 2014].

Duffy, M., 2009. Battles - The Siege of Tsingtao, 1914. [online] (Updated Saturday, 22 August 2009) Available at: <http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/tsingtao.htm> Accessed 5th October 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 5 October 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11137076/Daily-Telegraph-October-5-1914.html

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

#WW1 #WW1Japan #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered 

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 2014. Siege of Tsingtao [online] (updated 5 October 2014) Available at: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Tsingtao> Accessed 5th October 2014]