Poem ~ Season Of Peace And War - Monday, 25 December 1916 - Tuesday 26 December 1916

Source: File: Ruheben Camp festive card. Sketch depicting the card as they might have appeared in 1917 ‑ had the war ended that year. See an original image at: <https://www.worldwar1postcards.com/christmas-postcards.php> [Accessed 15 December 2016]

Reaching a bridge of 24 months from

First war Christmas, came 1916 festivities -

Situations of moods had long changed,

Across bitter stalemate of frontlines.

For the dead there were no celebrations.

Many that had once kicked a football

Across No Mans Land, long laid below

Or scattered across its poisoned mud.

Verdun, Somme and many new names

Of battles marked the bitter losses - any

Type of fraternisation forbidden by orders;

No football games of Hun versus Tommy.

Yet such truces of peace were not totally

Diminished - many Germans called out

Across the void to the Tommy and the Poilu

For 'Trêve de Noël' and 'Weihnachtsfrieden.'

The French spirit for 'live and let live' saw

Sectors sing to each other in native songs,

Along with exchanged gifts thrown across

Closest spaces of their outermost trenches.

Still the season, though subdued, continued.

Back in blighty had been orgainsed programs,

To get Christmas puddings to the front troops;

Though jokes abounded, if they would arrive.

With frozen stalemate in mud and the worst

Weather for more that 30 years, shortages

Were taking a grip - seasonal telegrams did

Not halt to tell men’s families of their deaths.

Not to forget the detained, held in camps from

Either side - with those most talented devising

Festive postcards - the artistic in the Ruhleben

Civilian camp held since 1914, drew designs.

In a card for xmas two detainees stare beyond

The wire towards the rising sun in hope of 1917;

A version shows them dancing before a happy

Sun and posts without wire, had the war ended.

A cherub builds three blocks for each war year;

1916 atop 1915 and 1914 - while yet another

Card, a smirking cherub kicks away the blocks -

Tentatively wishing happy forebodings for 1917.

With many an unlucky Tommy still on duty

In the trenches - as witnessed by news reporters

Such as Philip Gibbs - where after frosts, sleet

And snow found Christmas Eve a mild day.

Winter sunshine reflected across swamps

And flooded holes described in poetic images;

As supply columns churned their ways through

Mud, delivering feast day supplies to troops.

Gibbs saw soldiers as Noah like figures building

Colonies of huts, with attempts to abate floods -

Figures everywhere, splattered stiff with pale mud,

Emerged from lines imbued with Christmas spirits.

By subdued daylight Tommy's, Jocks and Anzacs

Sought out trinkets in nearest of French village

Markets - while on eve of feast day the reporter

Found a crowded restaurant, ready to celebrate.

Characters at every table; Tommy’s and Poliu

In salute of Entente Cordiale; 'Bonne chance!'

'Nous Les Aurons' and counter Christmas wishes

To old Fritz - here and there sat puzzled faces.

Young faces of 1916 recruits, amid the mature

Old Contemptibles, drawn into other temporary

Moods - away from the easy warmth and light

He took a few steps into darkness, to see blinks

Of horizon shells - somewhere soldiers died.

by Jamie Mann.

Gibb. P.,1916. Tommy's Xmas Eve - Scenes And Contrasts - A Memorable Picture. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 26 December 1916. P.7. Col.1-2. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214032/Daily-Telegraph-December-26-1916.html> [Accessed: 26 December 2016].

Source: File: Picture Postcards From The Great War  - WW1 Christmas Postcards  by Tony Allen- 1914-1918. Available at: < https://www.worldwar1postcards.com/christmas-postcards.php> [Accessed 26 December 2016]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 26 December 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214032/Daily-Telegraph-December-26-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ German Break Out At Knockaloe - Saturday, 29 January 1916

 Impression sketch of Knockaloe prison camp railway - by Jamie.  See an original image at: <http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/world-history/history-of-the-first-world-war-in-100-moments/a-history-of-the-first-world-war-in-100-moments-britain-s-enemy-aliens-get-their-own-railway-9334403.html> Accessed: 29 January 2016].

Possibly surprising locations

For alien detainees, included

Islands about Britain - one was

The equidistant Isle of Man -

The landmass of 221 square

Miles, sitting in the Irish Sea.

To play its part, the chosen

Isle held two prison camps -

In Douglas a one time holiday

Site, held detainees - while close

To the town of Peel, Knockaloe

Was built on agricultural lands.

Constructed across a wide area,

Knockaloe was to be made

Of four compounds, to become

Like a small town - to include

Railway link - all made to house

1000's in prefabricated huts.

The camp was close to the sea,

With Peel being a fishing port -

Four detainees of Germany
Successfully existed their way

12 January 1916 from Knockaloe;

Two days later to be at Peel port.

The sailors of the German navy;

Robert Clauss, Richard Karlsen

Alexander Hoffman - the fourth

Georges Sudman, had ingenuity

To steal the yacht Genesta, from

The quay - but they were seen.

Shouts rang out at the daylight 

Theft of a local man's boat -

Close by was Constable Clague

Who quickly followed in a yawl -
With assistance of others, to make

Pursuit in a two mastered craft.

The group formed with harbour

Master and a Private Karran -
Crossing the harbour they caught

Up the yacht - the two Germans

On board lifted up their hands

To surrender, along with others.

Two more men were on a boat

Alongside - Germans and boats

Were searched, to find items;

Wire cutters, pincers, a compas,
Marlinspikes, sailmaker's thimble, 

Charts, log line and log books.

In addition; paraffin oil bottles,

Matches, along with a variety

Of food supplies, for their eager

Plan to flee - owner of Genesta

Stated how that two motorboats

In the harbour had been doctored.

A sabotage done to halt pursuit

Of the escaping German sailors -

28 January 1916, the four men

Before a military court charged

With escape and stealing - to be
Told of the men's good characters.

Along with this recommendation,

That came from two imprisoned

Officers, a court heard of Georges

Sudan's other escape at Douglas

Camp, to be held at Knockaloe - 

The military court considered.

Also in that court Franz Rignisky

Had stolen tobacco, while another,

Carl Hench had tried his luck

To escape - walking out with false

Pass - Hoffmann, Clauss, Karlsen

And Sudman all awaited verdict.

Already prisoners of Knockaloe,

What punishment might then be

Given? The final decision was

A deferred sentence, pending

The Governor's confirmation -

Very likely they were well guilty

Of building a discovered tunnel.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Escaped Germans On Yacht - Well Supplied With Provisions. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 29 January 1916. P.6. Col.5. Available http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12120482/Daily-Telegraph-January-29-1916.html [Accessed: 29 January 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 29 January 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12120482/Daily-Telegraph-January-29-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ The Cruelty of Wittenberg - Sunday, 16 January 1916

Impression sketch of George Wells, forced to march in the snow - by Jamie.

Within the opening situation of October 1914,

Began German race to the sea - with attempts

To outflank either side - but neither side

Could gain a final victory.

Within the process, La Bassee fell to hands

Of Germans, where Private George Wells

With the 1st Cheshires was taken prisoner;

Transported to Wittenberg.

The Prisoner of war camp had maltreated

Inmates as private Wells soon discovered -

How the guards that controlled their lives,

Had pleasure in their suffering.

The brutal nature of the Wittenberg camp

Became a daily event - the whistles blown

To send prisoners back to huts, if slow

They would be fired on.

Over six months Private Wells did not

Have any change of shirt - when in bitter

Weather he was made to march in snow,

Without boots or overcoat.

For such action and conditions Wells'

Feet swelled with pain, to stage where

He could not walk - while the Doctors

Of the camp took no action.

Another habit had been to set the dogs

On the prisoners - After an American

Ambassador, came to the camp their

Conditions began to improve.

German Doctors showed callousness,

To leave sick prisoners to their illness -

Among the more fortunate, Private Wells

Was to gain treatment.

One of three captured British Doctors

Examined his feet, to see gangrene.

Doctor Vidal informed Private Wells

Of a need to operate.

Only by amputating both feet at the

Instep could Private Wells be saved.

For months he remained in hospital,

Where recovery was slow.

The food given them was poor quality;

They ate black bread potatoes, bran

And gruel made from maize - finally

Camp guard numbers lessened.

Private George Wells had become

Disabled from the amputation; a result

From having been subjected to enemy

Brutality over 14 months.

Possibly as part of an exchange

For prisoners, that could no longer

Fight at soldiers, George Wells

Returned to Northampton.

On the journey taken from Wittenberg

He saw signs of Germany suffering -

Warehouses were made into hospitals,

With streets of shops closed.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. German Callousness - Soldiers Prisoners Story. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 15 January 1916. P.10. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12093316/Daily-Telegraph-January-15-1916.html [Accessed: 16 January 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 16 January 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12093316/Daily-Telegraph-January-15-1916.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Prisonerofwar

Poem ~ Captivity At Ruhleben - Sunday, 9 January 1916

Source: File: Ruhleben Postal Stamp.jpg. [online] An original image is Available at: <http://www.rdpypres.com/uploads/The%20Ruhleben%20Civil%20Internee%20Camp%20of%20WW1.pdf> [Accessed: 9 January 2016]

In the tale of repatriated prisoners,

Of British swapped for German

Detainee’s - numbers came from

The German camp of Ruhleben.

With relief to be home once again,

Their news was of conditions

Having been improved, where

Others were still held at Ruhleben.

While many Britons had departed

From Germany at the outset

Of the war, others were too late -

Finding borders closed to them.

In act of being alienated overnight,

German military police set out

To round up all their enemy

Nationals, for duration’s detainment.

A decision in Berlin was Ruhleben

Racecourse - which had been

Used as a harness racing track,

In Berlin's prosperous 1900's.

The venue had three grandstands,

A club house, casino, officers

Quarters, including a restaurant -

Re-assigned as an internment camp.

6 November 1914, and prisoners

Arrived - a lack of bedding

Leading to crammed situations,

Due to underestimated numbers.

Used as accommodation, stables

Had horseboxes to hold beds

Of straw sacks - for any that

Did not get a bed, slept in haylofts.

Initially having to spend each day

Solely in the barracks, hygiene

Was issue, with overcrowding

And rats; facilities had to be made.

Large numbers meant that usage

Of wash houses were limited -

Daily exercise became a walk

To the field kitchen and back.

Amid the British held at Ruhleben

Included passengers of ships,

Trawler fishermen and people

Having worked in German industries.

From those returned home, reports

Were of improvements made

At Ruhleben camp - while food

Improved a society had also evolved.

From interned talent, both musical

And drama groups formed -

To hold productions, while

Sportsmen formed a Ruhleben Club.

Alongside playing cricket, tennis

Rugby and golf - the Germans

Kept to the Geneva Convention,

As detainees controlled their affairs.

A printing press brought to camp,

Led to a magazine - with a police

Force, library and postal services

Emerged amid camp businesses.

Called Ruhleben Express Delivery

The post service began July 1915,

To have at least16 varied stamps -

Posting 6000 letters every month.

An organisation had emerged,

Inevitably from 5,500 people -

From initial days they had elected

Captains across 11 barracks.

The resulting negotiations had

Tackled many of their problems,

To give relief for the poorest

People; along with supplies.

Food was brought in from outside,

While a compulsory barrack fee

Among those able to pay, led

To funding cleaning volunteers.

While imprisoned a society had
Developed, that led to operations
Of a civilian township at Berlin's
Racing Track called Ruhleben.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Released Prisoners - Arrival at Tilbury - Red Cross Men's Experiences. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 January 1916. P.7. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12083269/Daily-Telegraph-January-8-1916.html [Accessed: 9 January 2016].

Source: File: Ruhleben internment camp. Online. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruhleben_internment_camp

Ruhleben internment camp> Accessed 9 January 2016

Source: File: 'Cabbage soup again' - the hardships & resilience of men held in Germany's Ruhleben prison camp. Online. Available at: <http://www.centenarynews.com/article?id=1446> Accessed 9 January 2016

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

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12083269/Daily-Telegraph-January-8-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Prisoners Gain Freedom - Saturday, 8 January 1916

An image for  'Prisoners Gain Freedom'

From Germany to Tilbury,

Came an exchange of British

Prisoners, by return of Germans.

Out of 96 came 10 members

Of Royal Army Medical Corps.

The 10 came from various

Places of internment - their

Experiences to vary, compared

To those released from 

Ruhleben Internment Camp.

Men from the Medical Corps

Had been attending wounded

Men in the field, when captured -

One Canadian corporal and

Two others had been at Ypres.

Their party following closely

With the advancing British -

To be fired on, then captured -

Treated well, but behind

German lines that then altered.

Their guards had allowed

Them to be kicked at spat at

Another told how during a march

He fell out of line of four

Abreast, then be hit with a rifle.

The medical men had acted

As orderlies in various hospitals.

Most were made to feel awkward

But one Corporal said when

On duty, he had no problems.

Amid the other 86 British

Were some children, women

And 36 non-white people, to say

Conditions at Ruhleben

Were better - devoid of bullying.

A factor noted by them

Was of food improvements -

This came from the American

Embassy - where once

A week was received roast meat.

This relieved the tedium

Of their frequently poor diet -

Until relief came for them -

Having been detained

From the earliest time of war.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Released Prisoners - Arrival at Tilbury - Red Cross Men's Experiences. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 January 1916. P.7. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12083269/Daily-Telegraph-January-8-1916.html [Accessed: 8 January 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 8 January 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12083269/Daily-Telegraph-January-8-1916.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Prisonerofwar