Poem ~ Russia And Speculation - Sunday, 25 March 1917 - Saturday, 31 March 1917

Source: File: Vladimir 'Lenin' Ilyich Ulyanov in Exile. Collective Leadership. See an original image at: <http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/11562318> [Accessed 25 March 2017]

16 March 1917 of the Gregorian calendar,

Noted how just over a week of revolution

Within Russia brought out reactions from

Other world countries - America's press

Were positive to respect Russia's people.

The view had arrived from New York,

Unblended by a lengthy Berlin wireless

Message to neutral countries - whose

Influence of assistance had funded

The return of Bolsheviks to Russia.

This included one certain figure intent

To lead the party; Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov

Known by alias Lenin - propaganda from

Germany had sought to suggest how

Russia would then be out of the war.

London opinion had no such thought -

Rebirth of Russian determination

Was suggestion - united Russian, free

Of plots would be better equipped;
Revolts success would defeat Germany,

A Petrograd dispatch told how army

Was on revolutionary side - two years

Of war bled away complete Tsar loyalty

And obedience to the Empire - America

Had welcomed the change of rule.

To say how entrusted Duma leaders

With others were directing the empire -

Maladministration’s had been turned

Upside down to realise ambitions; for
Russian access to unfrozen seas.

News of the Tsar's abdication raised

By press, as in the New York Times,

Noted the passing of an old regime,

Maybe to herald a new free world;

Democratic countries looked to Russia.

Democracy would free Russian

People - that good organization

Would make defeat of revolution

Impossible - what then will those

Autocrats in Germany consider?

The New York Tribune had debated

How changes of Russian rule may

Be decisive act to defeat Germany -

Within New York Times was theory

Of temporary abdication of monarchy.

To see new constitutional Tsar form

That could rule as head of the state;

America eagerly awaited more news.

Yet German reaction was subdued;

Perhaps a more realistic viewpoint.

Overall the view from Germany

Was one of regret and unknown -

How might alliances be affected?

A warning made by press to say

Caution against any change in war.

Deutsche Zeitung; 'personalities are

Central to events,' Vassische Zeitung;

Advised judgment; Berliner Tageblatt

Warned of anti monarchy; Frankfurter

Zeitung stated; can be no prediction.

A calmer reaction purveyed France

Where Press in the 'Temps' saw a shift

To the left in Bureaucracy and peoples

Struggles - a power shift to a bloc held

By assemblies and an army majority.

Yet the 'Temps' reminded the reader by

France's own historical fight for liberty.

Holland held change as victory for war

Parties, to end speculation of separate

Peace between Russia and Germany.

Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant added,

Idea of revolution would lend continuation

Of war - Italian military situation would

Not alter due to rapid manner of revolt -

Italy said: 'evil out of which good will come.'

Skepticism dominated - such Russian

Events as a telegram in Austrian capital

Of Vienna - any results of rising were far

Too soon to speculate; the coup d'etate

Would have a world reaching effects.

Analysis of Denmark dwelled on theory

That the old government had tendencies

Of a bond with Germany - in a renewal

Of rule, Russia would lean to envigoured

Route into the war as shared in Britain.

British MP Philip Stanhope, 1st Baron

Weardale's statement in an interview

Told of close acquaintance of many

Members of the new Russian cabinet -

To hope for new freedoms for people.

Stanhope shared belief of resurgence

By military presence on the fighting

Field - how agricultural movements

Would now be restored, to deal with

Food shortages with Moscow at centre.

Seen as important, British opinion held

Thoughts of Henry Mayes Hyndman,

A founder of Britain’s first socialist party;

This had been an ideal revolution

Where limited blood had been spilled.

A 'parasitical class' had been overturned

To claim facts had been issued in 'Justice,'

5 months before - background intrigue

Had led to downfall, while Miliukoff gained

Praise by Hyndman for smooth revolt.

So Kaiser be warned writing is on wall -

A world was watching wheel of revolution

For a smoothed shift of Russian power,

To rise and crush Germany; yet a wary

World should beware of revolutionaries.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. A Worlds View On The Russian Revolt - America Delighted. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 March 1917. P.6. Col.4. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214364/Daily-Telegraph-March-8-1917.html> [Accessed: 25 March 2017].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 25 March 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214364/Daily-Telegraph-March-8-1917.html

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

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Poem ~ Laconia Omen - Monday, 5 March 1917- Tuesday, 6 March 1917

Impression sketch of RMS Laconia by Jamie. See original images at:<http://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/L-Ships/laconia1912.html>

With launch in 1911 RMS Laconia,

A Cunard Ocean Liner, was a young vessel

When war began in 1914 - built

At Wallsend Britain, by makers Swan Hunter

And Wigham Richardson Ltd.

Later commandeered for war

Service Laconia sailed to South Africa -

At Simon's Town, having then
Been fitted out as an armed Merchant

Crusier, with a new purpose.

The Laconia patrolled waters,

In Indian and South Atlantic Ocean,

From April 1915 - employed

As a headquarters, during the actions

To take on German East Africa.

Returning to Britain in June

1916, the Laconia again returned

To Service September 
1916 with Cunard - six months later

Laconia departed New York.

25 February 1917 on route

For Liverpool - the hour 9 O’clock when

The Laconia steamed west,

Northwest by Fastnet - aboard were

75 passengers and 217 crew.

Outnumbered by crew, only

A fraction of usual passengers travelled

Including Americans - time

Was almost 10 O’clock, when many

Travellers were yet to retire.

The crossing of the Atlantic

Had been uneventful - a passenger

Quizzed a London solicitor

Over chance of being torpedoed; '4000

To one,' said Henry Chetham.

A member of the British diplomatic

Service offered another opinion to state

'250 to 1, if we don’t meet a sub.'

An apt answer came along, creating

A sudden slam like a large door.

A lurch forwards and sideways

Under their feet, everyone jumped up.

A New Yorker commented.

To say It's a lousy torpedo, only a fizzer.'

A hit had been made starboard.

An explosion blew near the 
Engine room - the Laconia still floated. 

Captain Irvine's instructions for 
Safety saw orderly move to lifeboats

The U50 sub still close by.

Lifeboat drills now became

Real as five blasts on the ships whistle

Signalled an evacuation.

After 20 minutes another hit struck, full

On into the engine room.

The blast damaged a lifeboat

Being lowered into the water, in which

Sat two Americans - mother

And daughter; Mrs Mary Hoy along with

Elizabeth Hoy reached sea.

Now the Laconia began to list

Taking on water, as passengers and

Crew released more lifeboats.

Quickly sinking the Laconia's stern -

The nose of the vessel, dipped.

Then straight in the air; silently

The vessel slipped into dark waters,

10.20 p.m. within 30 minutes

Survivors rocked alone in their boats;

Not all had made it safely.

In sour silence the survivors

Saw a black, glinting wet shape move

Towards them - in darkness

An accented voice called out, 'vot ship

Was dot?' A reply called back.

A steward yelled, 'the Laconia,

Cunard Line' - the German voice gave

Casual reply; 'yov’ll

Be alright the patrol vill pick you up.'

The sub moved away.

Some six hours later Royal

Navy patrolled came across these

Drifting boats but not all

Had made it - 6 crew 6 passengers

Had become victims.

Boat No 8 had held 14 souls -

This had been badly damaged during

The torpedo hit, so as soon

As it touched water, the sea began

Dragging them down.

Survivor, Able Seaman Walley,

Told of hopelessness to try to bail any

Water out - yet it did not

Sink, but kept afloat by fact of holding

Tanks - he held on in the stern.

Everyone clung to the edge

Of the underwater boat - every swell

Whipped over the souls that

Held on - in the stern seats Mrs Hoy

And daughter stood in the boat.

Time passed, counted

By the cold waves that washed them

No. 8 - finally grey haired

Mrs Hoy lay back; daughter Elizabeth

Held her and talked away.

Likely her mind became

Lost as she held her dead mother.

Soon it was too much,

Left weak in body and her mind

As another swell came.

The two women wearing

Lifebelts and were swept away -

The frozen survivors left

With more corpses, stubbornly

Holding on until rescued.

Account by Floyd Gibbons

Told of the despair and struggles

In the sea, until encounter

Of a mine sweeper and a patrol

Boat found their pale lights.

Six hours had passed when

One after another they pulled aside

HMS Laburnum, where

Tattooed arms of jack tars reached

Out to the fortunate few.

The story of yet another

Lost sea vessel; although relatively

Few lives were lost - unlike

The Lusitania - the small act would

Have great effect in war.

by Jamie Mann.

Source: File: RMS Laconia. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Laconia_(1911)> [Accessed 5 March 2017]

Source: File: Today in World War I - U-boat Sinks Laconia, Kills Two Americans. Available at: <http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/157711139713/u-boat-sinks-laconia-kills-two-americans> [Accessed 5 March 2017]

Source: File: The Sinking Of The Laconia, By Floyd Gibbons. Available at: <http://www.worldwar1.com/sflac.htm> [Accessed 5 March 2017]

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Poem ~ America: Ready for War - Wednesday, 17 May 1916

Source: File: 150 000 Americans march past the New York Public Library in the, lets get ready to fight, parade. [online] See an original image at: <https://www.reddit.com/r/HistoryPorn/comments/4j65k6/150_000_americans_march_past_the_new_york_public/?> [Accessed: 17 May 2016]

From across the pond

In the city of New York,

A parade overtook streets,

In estimated numbers -

To reach some 150,000

People from all walks.

In unity they marched,

Looked on by a million

New Yorkers - to number

24 abreast - the streets

Filled by stars and stripes.

The procession took

Some hours to pass on

Its way, to declare a virtual

Holiday - the thoughts

Behind the spectacle

Was call 'Ready For War.'

The American people

Had by knowledge of

Europe’s war, realised

Their country had lacked

Defence of aggressors,

From any foreign lands.

A people's movement

Had acted, to prompt

USA's President Wilson

To listen - with Congress

Taking note to concerns

To defend Americans.

Representatives and

Senate agreed to form

A bill - in time of peace,

An army of defensive

To be 25,000 militia

And 206,000 regulars.

With all the windows

Of Fifth Avenue taken,

And banners flying, stars

and stripes flagged

out a unified message;

America, Ready For War?

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Preparedness for War - Huge New York Demonstration. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 May 1916. P.10. Col.1. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12210082/Daily-Telegraph-May-15-1916.html>  [Accessed: 17 May 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 17 May 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12210082/Daily-Telegraph-May-15-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Songs Of War - Saturday, 13 May - Monday, 15 May 1916

Source: File: I'll make a man of you! (Tune: I Don't Want to be a Soldier) OhWhataLovelyWar [online] : <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x308MIPPUyA> [Accessed: 13 May 2016]

Source: File: Vesta Tilley. [online] See an original image at: <https://heroinesofthestage.wordpress.com/2014/08/09/miss-towards-heroines-of-the-stage/> [Accessed: 13 May 2016]

i

Kitchener replied with pointed finger,
When the Kaiser had started to huff -

While a country went willingly to war,

What better way for all the soldiers

To go, than to sing new catchy songs.

Already well known from before, the
Lyrics of 'Its a long way to Tipperary'

Were well suited to a marching song -
Without any suggested deeds of war,

Words evoked a longing for home.

Music and war had always travelled

Together, as already well established

By the Music Hall well before 1880s -

Popular Lilly Langtry and Marie Lloyd 

Were soon joined by new performers.

Vesta Tilley, readily known for her
Impersonations of men, with risqué 
Behaviour - to raise wary eyebrows
Playing her character 'Burlington

Bertie,' made her name before war.

ii

Vesta Tilley conceived characters

'Jack Tar Home from Sea' - another

Was 'Tommy In the Trench' - with

Husband Walter to commence a drive

For recruitment, gaining a new name.

Now Britain’s greatest recruitment

Sergeant, Great littlie Tilley sang

'Jolly Good Luck to the Girl Who

Loves a Soldier,' to bring men onto

Stage - persuading them how Army 

Was alright, but open to controversy.

'I’ve got a it of a Blighty one,' Tilley

Sang as a soldier glad to wounded

Home - not exactly what the war

Office wanted to hear – many songs

Had the power to inspire peoples

Patriotism and to gain manpower.

Song sources knew no borders -

With American tunes popularity 

Flows of songs emerged from pen

Of Wenrich, as in 'When You Wore

A Tulip - I Wore a Big Red Rose.'

iii

Back home pianos had centre

Place in many families’ parlors -

With boys away at war, families

Sang same songs as brothers,

Sons or fathers - old or new tunes
Marched them on the road to war.

In eager backing of government,

Propaganda and music became

Well matched - the medium stirred

Public to join British army - 'Keep 
The home Fires burning’ by Ford 
And Novella; a sweethearts ideal.

Brothers Felix and George Powell

Played the London Hippodrome. In

A break George wrote some lines

Of a song, that Felix had idly fitted 

Music too - only to see it as 'Piffle'
George stored it under song 'duds.'

iV

While across the water in New York,

Music publishers Day and Hunter

Decided to offer 100 guineas, to find

A marching song for fighting troops -

The Powell brothers looked at their

Rejected song to revise and enter.

Talents had by end of 1914, seen

Release by Mark Sheridan a singer

Of seaside songs, with 'Belgium Put

The Kibosh on the Kaiser' - inspired

By BEF's halt of the Schlieffen Plan.

A few moths passed - a telegram

To Powell brothers told them they

Had won first prize with composition,

'Pack Up your Troubles In Your Old

Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile’ -

Its popularity was in it's simplicity.

This song praised the Tommy who

Could remain cheery, in the worst

Conditions - with the simple luxury

Of a Lucifer match to light his fag,

All to return the Tommy's smile -

Powell brothers were onto a winner.

V

With the 'kitbag song' quick to prove

A hit, other older compositions were

Revived - the popular 'Mademoiselle

From Armentieres' made resurgence -

New, adaptable, French risqué words

Leading to claims by several writers.

Alternatively 'three German Officers

Crossed the Rhine' - depicted enemy

Having a jolly good time - to result

In illegitimacy, leading to birth of a fat

Prussian, to grow up without morals.

Other words told how Mademoiselle

Had not been kissed for some forty

Years - while a more demure Colette,

With sea-blue eyes, was seen by

Lawyer Frederic Weatherly - a lady

Who evoked the Roses of Picardy.

One night Frederic Weatherly travelled

Home by London bus when suddenly

The refrain hit the lawyer - he jumped

To the street to stand beneath a lamp,

Putting down the idea on an envelope.

With subject of a love affair, music sheet
Sales quickly hit record 50,000 monthly -

Sentimental Images of Colette in Picardy

Prompted eager young men to sing while
Waiting to enlist for France and Flanders.

Vi

As a weapon of war, songs

Played their part, popularised

By the singers of the day - those

Early volunteers in rallying, sang
Of kitbags and roses - out to hit

The Kaiser only to yearn for home.

Both comedians and singers

Were playing their parts - along

With government policies, to be

The official and unofficial drivers

To recruitment, as civil heroes.

In new stars of stage and song

These included Harry Champion,

Harry Lauder, George Formby,

Gertie Gitana, Marie Lloyd

And Vesta Tilley, among many

Others, to set the pace of time.

Vii

Many artists and composers

Took inspirations, whose lyrics

Cleverly caught a keen public -

Writers Wimperis and Finck

Worked out the ultimate song

For voluntary recruitment rallys.

Calling out to youngest men by

A flirty lady, who dated military

Men - the purpose of her task,

As sung by Minnie Love, would

Make them all better soldiers.

In a call to other girls to walk out

With an army and the navy, her 
Dates included; a Hussar, a baby
Boy scout, a Scottie, a rifleman in
Green and a captain of the crew. 

Not to forget time with a bosun

A day later a Sub and Marine -

Finally with a midshipman or two.

She'd offer her services if a man

In front would take king's shilling;

A long war promised many songs.

by Jamie Mann.

Source: File: The 10 best: first world war music. Online. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/nov/07/the-10-best-first-world-war-music> Accessed 13 May 2016

Source: File: Music Hall. Online. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_hall> Accessed 13 May 2016

Source: File: Mademoiselle from Armentières. Online. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mademoiselle_from_Armenti%C3%A8res> Accessed 13 May 2016

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 13 May 2016). 

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

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Poem ~ Mother's War Ultimatum - Monday, 28 February 1916

Impression sketch : Mother's War Ultimatum - by Jamie.

From the letter of an Englishman

Came a story of New York.

A French acquaintance had recently

Travelled back from America -

During his time there he had dined

In a New York restaurant.

When ordering his meal he found

The waiter to be French.

Developing a conversation, he asked

The young man of Europe

Why he was not fighting for France -

A reason was forthcoming.

The French waiter told how he would

Soon make his way to fight.

He handed the traveller a letter just

Received from his mother -

The correspondence informed her son

He had lost both brothers.

Her words spelled out her patriotism;

As she declared, while

Being her only remaining son, unless

He did not come back

To France in fighting for their country,

He need never return to her.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. French Mothers Patriotism. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 28 February 1916. P.7. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12175151/Daily-Telegraph-February-28-1916.html [Accessed: 28 February 2016].

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12175151/Daily-Telegraph-February-28-1916.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1France