Poem ~ The Body on the Beach - Friday, 26 February 1915

To follow on from a storm

In early February days - when Alice Morgan,

Walking on her way home,

Met young Private Cousin, of a cyclist Battalion -

To pause by the Porthcawl sea.

In a dare to join her in an embrace of sea spray;

Alice was to meet a tragic result.

The 26th of Friday afternoon, a farmer

John Dunn, was walking on remote Wick Sands

That lay across from his farm.

The hour was at the time of the tide going out -

Not having been that way

For a month, the farmer found a terrible sight.

Lying beside the cliff on pebbles,

Mr Dunn saw what he first considered a pile

Of clothing - as he came close

He found the shape was a body of a woman.

Looking down on the sad form,

With its matted hair and face decomposed.

Having been in water for some

time, she was lying 5 foot 6 - her skirt had gone,

A white blouse about her neck,

Around which was a gold cross and chain,

With a watch on the left wrist.

One boot lay little more than two yards away.

The distraught mother,

In learning of her daughters recovery,

Could only identify

The items found on the body - adding how

On that night, she had walked

With her at 6.30 p.m. on her way to work.

Alice worked at Mr Langdons -

Her mother expecting her back home by 9.30 p.m.

Also asked to identify her was

Tom Clark, a Private in the 1^st Devon Regiment

Who did not know Alice -

Being the first time when they met by the pier.

Alice Morgan had been

Described as a high spirited girl, who on that night,

Met briefly with a man -

In all her  innocence, had wanted an adventure

To catch the sea breeze.

And by that risk Alice Morgan accidentally drowned.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. The Porthcawl Tragedy. Girl’s Body Recovered on Wick Sands. Sad Story at the Inquest. Her Companion’s Miraculous Escape. Glamorgan Gazette, [online] 26 Feb. P.2. Col.32. Available at: http://cymru1914.org/en/view/newspaper/3886001/1 [Accessed: 26 February  2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 26 February 2015). 

http://cymru1914.org/en/view/newspaper/3886001/1

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

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Poem ~ Encounter Leads to Tragedy - Sunday, 7 February 1915

Source: File: The 2/7th Battalion Welsh Cyclists  (T.F).jpg, 2015. Porthcawl and The Great War. [online] Available at:<http://www.porthcawlandthegreatwar.com/1914-porthcawl.html> [Accessed: 7 February 2015].



Source: File: The Esplanade, Porthcawl.jpg, 2015. Porthcawl and The Great War. [online] Available at:< http://www.porthcawlandthegreatwar.com/1914-porthcawl.html> [Accessed: 7 February 2015].

In the county borough of Bridgend,

On the South coast of Wales  the town
Porthcawl, was still in the midst of winter,
On the 3 February – when a young lady
Ventured out, to walk by the sea front -
A lively spirited girl who resided with
Her mother in Porthcawl, at Vale View.

With the fresh air that whipped the

Wind in her face, she came across
A young man - a cyclist of an army
Battalion. Perhaps she had almost lost
Her hat, as the man grasped  it in
Mid air – the girl gasped - ‘that was
A good catch!’ She fought as the wind
Loosened her hair – the soldier grinned.

The young man spoke, ‘it is breezy

Tonight,’ handing back her hat.
She snatched a laugh, as the air
Took her breath – he looked on her
Young face, as she studied his rank.
Maybe not such a good night to walk.’
He said – but she shook her head.

‘I love such nights as these,’ she said,

Raising her voice to be heard -
Both glanced towards the pier where
A ghostly sheen of the sea was seen.
The waves whipped up at the struts.
Private Walter Lionel Cousin said,
How he was billeted at Porthcawl,
In the 7^th Cyclist Reserves - unsure
She heard his name, he asked hers.

‘Alice Morgan!’ yet he did not hear.

‘Come on,’ she said. in sudden eager
Excitement – I dare you to walk on
The pier.’ His caution was not headed,
As she grabbed his sleeve and pulled
Him to follow. Private Cousin  did
Think to go on - but felt the lady should
Not be in the dark, to venture out
Alone on the pier – he followed her.

Slightly behind her quick step, Private

Cousin followed onto the Esplanade,
Both of them bracing into the wind -
The rush and rumbling sea made
Them talk loudly, as they paused
By the watch house - he again tried
To ask her name – but she urged
Him on, to dare further - to walk along
The Pier wall – at first he said no.

Private cousin watched her face,

As she watched the dark waves -
For a few minutes in silence
Then she tugged on him and Alice
Began to walk along the wall,
He heard her laugh, ‘I want to feel
The sea spray!’ He followed her.
At five yards he stopped, to call out.
‘Mind you don’t get washed over!’

She pretended to slip her footing,

Laughing to see him reacting.
On the sodden wall, he moved
Towards her – when together,
They both saw the wave rising
Above them – in reaching out
Their hands met, as the water
Swept them up into the dark air.

Walter Cousin and Alice Morgan

Spun in mid air - the wave
Embracing them as they went
Down - separated in a moment -
Then united, they lifted again.
She caught onto his right hand -
They clung together,  as he
Grabbed the wall and started
To crawl – Walter saw her
Startled fear, as the raging
Water hit him once again.

With the heaviness on him,

Walter Cousin lost a moment,
As he found himself dropped
on the walls ledge – he looked
And stood in shocked alarm,
As he braced himself in the
Storm  - he called out to her
but he did not know her name -
And Alice Morgan was no more.

by Jamie Mann.

Source: File: Glamorgan Gazette Provider: The National Library of Wales. The Porthcawl Tragedy. Girl’s Body Recovered on Wick Sands. Sad Story at the Inquest. Her Companion’s Miraculous Escape. [online] Available at: <http://cymru1914.org/en/view/newspaper/3886001/1> Accessed: 7 February 2015].

Anon.,1915. Lady Swept from Pier. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 5 Feb. P.7. Col.2. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11385010/Daily-Telegraph-February-5-1915.html [Accessed: 7 February 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 7 February  2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11385010/Daily-Telegraph-February-5-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered  #WW1Porthcawl