Thursday, in North
West France,
Cathedrals as
high specimens,
Of architecture
are, for the Hun,
The best of
targets - it appears,
That the idea of
forcing infantry
From a town, any
spire landmark
Seen by the Hun is
to be crushed.
From a soldier’s
perspective,
The reason is
that spires are used
for observation
tower purposes,
Acting as a
military necessity.
This will no
doubt be an excuse,
Of the latest
atrocity acted out,
By the Germans
army of vandals.
Started in 1501 The
Hotel de Ville's
Addition was the
belfry, finished 1554.
At 250 feet high
with a distinctive clock,
The tower,
crowned with a heraldic lion,
Was well known
for the peal of bells.
Refugees,
departing the town Arras,
On reaching the
safety of the coast,
Tell of how
Germans, by shelling
The town, in the
process smashing
The bell tower of
the Hotel de Ville,
As missiles fell
upon the cathedral.
A tale of
repeated history - St Vaast’s
Stands upon an
earlier Christian church
That had been
destroyed by Huns.
At this time it
could not be said what
Damage may have
been done to relics,
As in the Blessed
Virgin statue by Cortot,
‘Christ in the
Tomb’ credited to Vandycke
Or ‘Descent from
the Cross’ by Rubens.
As a look out
post the belfry is not needed.
Arras, being a
low lying town with heights
About, any observation
could be made
From these hills,
west of the town, held
In French hands,
any expert gunner could
Avoid the tower, with
a thought to spare it.
Fighting has been
happening about Arras
For days in the
east - upon a plain, German
Forces massed on
Saturday-firing began
Slowly on Monday,
with heavier attacks
Following on
Tuesday and Wednesday –
The early guns
did not have much effect.
More guns came on
Thursday to cause
Destruction and
death - all people were
Encouraged to
leave promptly the town.
Having some
warning, males of 18 to 45
Were advised to
go to the coastal towns
For their own
protection and safety.
The younger men,
of ages to be called
To the ranks, are
told to go in avoidance,
Of being taken
prisoner by an enemy,
Keen to cut off
French reserves - they
Are taking any
able bodied civilians
Prisoner - Any
unfit by age or incapacity,
Were warned to
leave 11.30am Thursday.
But possibly some
remain hiding,
In place now
being shelled. The French
Military
prediction, of the enemy
Attempting to
invade within two hours,
Came true - in
less time the Germans
Crossed the
stream of the eastern
Town boundary, to
take a footing within
The town's Vauban
fortifications.
One witness who
believes that Germans,
Entering Arras by
the Porte St Michel -
Which in turn
leads to the Grand Place -
Likely to have
left via Porte des Soupirs -
But the Gate of
Sighs is more appropriate,
For the
destroyers of historic monuments.
Once in the town
the enemy had no rest.
Allied
reinforcements on the west side,
Came in by the
still open Amiens road.
The Infantry
enter the Porte d'Amiens
As refugees pass
by, the other way.
Rifle fire cracks
throughout the streets,
To the tapping of
the Mitrailleuse volley.
By slow stealth,
the enemy are forced
Back, as the
French repossess Arras.
The lingering
German presence is cut,
Now pushed back
to four of the five
Gates, which the
enemy finally hold.
by Jamie Mann.
Massey, W.T.,
1914. German Vandals - Shells in Cathedral – Arras Belfry Destroyed. The Daily
Telegraph, [online] 9 Oct. p.9. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11137123/Daily-Telegraph-October-9-1914.html
[Accessed: 9th October 2014].
Mann, J., 2014. 100
years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 9th October
2014).
#WW1 #BattleofArras
#WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone
#worldwaroneremembered
Refugees,
1914_1008, Arras, French Army, German Artillery, Nord Pas de Calais, Religious
Buildings,
