Poem ~ Walsall Air Tragedy - Tuesday, 17 April 1917 - Thursday, 19 April 1917

Source: File: 2nd Lt Thomas Mann. Wyrleyblog, Local History for Great Wyrley and Surrounding Areas. 'Run': The Ryecroft Plane Crash, 1917. Available at: <https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/walsall/tales-from-the-walsall-coroner/run-the-ryecroft-plane-crash-1917/> [Accessed 15 April 2017]

In the county of Shropshire,

2nd Lieutenant Thomas Mann

Stationed at Ternhill airfield,

Finished a hearty breakfast.

The morning fine, as into air

Mann climbed and headed

Into the flight for Solihull.

Time 10.15 a.m.; his precise

Destination was to be west

Midlands, Castle Bromwich.

Likely as all pilots enjoyed,

Mann settled into the ride

Above English countryside -

A world away from the war.

Mann, a member of the 43rd

Royal Flying Corps Squadron,

Lifted Avro 504 to 4000 feet

For some time, until thick

Mist of clouds enforced him

To lower altitude - steering

To 500 feet above a town.

Daughter and mother sat

In their home of Brewer

Street Cottages, Ryecroft -

In the Walsall area - they

Chatted over tea to amuse

The granddaughter Edna.

Frances Ann North smiled.

Known as Fanny aged 60,

Was proud of her daughter

Louisa, whose only child

Edna was ten months old -

The girl's father Arthur Vass

Was away fighting in war.

Over Walsall the day began.

People about on business

heard the sounds of aircraft

From the skies. This was

Common enough, but not

So much as to not attract

Attention from the people on

The ground, who looked up.

Residents of Mill Street

Like Kate Beebee at 115,

And the Royal exchange

Licensee stepped outside.

Morning progressed onto

11 a.m. with the sound

Of a biplane over head.

Less that a mile away at No.

5 Brewer Street Cottages,

Louisa Vass and her mother

Frances also heard sounds

Of the aeroplane - not usual

To hear them passing, but

This one remained stationery.

Leaving Edna playing, the

Two women went outside

There was indeed a plane.

From the garden they saw

The craft circling, for some

Five minutes - Louisa went

Inside to check on her baby.

It was still a novelty to see

Aircraft. In her youth Frances

Had never conceived how

Wood and engine might carry

A man into the sky - Louisa

Reappeared holding Edna

And pointed up to the sky.

'Look Edna, that is a plane.

Can you see?' Back on Mill

Street others also watched -

Licensee Thomas Deakin

Began to think the pilot

Was in some kind of trouble;

The engine made a stutter.

Kate Beebee had paused 

Watching sky, believing

How the pilot was looking

To land - she traced out

His circling, which was

Coming closer - pilot Mann,

In the avro, was worrying.

The engine had lost power -

Mann had tried to see open

Country, but he was above

Walsall town - the avro, then

At 100 feet, fell like a stone

And he could not avoid the

Descent to lose all control.

Kate Beebee gasped with

Disbelief, hand on mouth,

As the biplane came towards

Her - she saw the pilot in the

Seat. He just skimmed the top

Of her house - in seconds

Mann waved frantically.

Shouting 'get out of the way!'

On the ground at Brewer

Street someone shouted, 'run!'

The two women and baby

Watching had no time - Lousia

Could not even scream as

Nose of the plane jabbed her.

With Edna thrown from her

Arms, Louisa fell instantly.

The craft was lodged at the

Gardens edge in a smoking,

Broken heap - Louisa came

Out of the stunned moment

And stood - Edna lay away

From the plane on the path.

Standing, holding her injured

Left arm, Louisa looked from

The slumped pilot to where

Her mother lay, under the belly

Of the machine - the scream

From Louisa's calls for help

Were quickly answered.

Walsall and District Hospital

Tuesday 10 April, called an

Inquest over these events -

The statement of Louisa

Vass told how, after being

Thrown down, she stood

And screamed out for help.

Her mother and daughter

Were both killed outright -

A crowd gathered, mainly

Railway workers - amid

Them Kate Beebee along

With Thoma Deaken had

Followed the craft's descent.

The coroner Mr Addison

Heard how Deakin helped

Remove Mann from the

Tangled Avro wreckage -
with only a few superficial

Injuries - although guilt

Of that day would stay.

Captain White was present

To provide military evidence.

The outcome of the inquest

Advised the deaths resulted

By a tragic accident. The pilot,

2nd Lieutenant Thomas Mann

Exonerated from any blame.

With the Royal Garrison Artillery,
Arthur Vass Stationed in France,  
received a telegram to tell him

Of his daughter Edna's death,

Hit by a military aircraft while

Home. A concerned community

Supported his wife, Louisa Vass,

To pay cost of funerals; £11.10/-.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. Strange Aviation Accident. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 9 April 1917. P.5. Col.4. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214440/Daily-Telegraph-April-9-1917.html> [Accessed: 17 April 2017].

Source: File: Wyrleyblog, Local History for Great Wyrley and Surrounding Areas. 'Run': The Ryecroft Plane Crash, 1917. Available at: <https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/walsall/tales-from-the-walsall-coroner/run-the-ryecroft-plane-crash-1917/> [Accessed 17 April 2017]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 17 April 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214440/Daily-Telegraph-April-9-1917.html

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

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Poem ~ What To Do With 'Drunken' Officers - Wednesday, 11 October - Sunday, 15 October 1916

Impression sketch for What To Do With 'Drunken' Officers.

i

In a number of insubordinations, various

Appearances of officers stood before

Major-General Lord Cheylesmore, who

Presided at a court-martial, Westminster.

A Commandant of Bisley Camp School

Of musketry, who had in his youth been

Described as an all round sportsman -

Though 'a little too eager to shoot birds.'

Eager Major-General Lord Cheylesmore 

Was fond of 'teaching the young idea

To shoot' - along with Karl Hans Lody trial
He had many court-martials under his belt.

Major-General Lord Cheylesmore now
Turned his talents to home grown issues -

He faced an accused Second Lieutenant

F. L. Whalley, who had pleaded not guilty.

A charge held on the Lieutenant as drunk

On 6 September 1916, at the Wimbledon

Common camp, 10.45 p.m. - the court
Listened to how Whalley's story unfolded.

A taxi cab driver appeared at servant's

Hut on the camp, asking for Lieutenant

Whalley's servant Private Donovan, who

He addressed, to request the officer’s fare.

The driver had refused the idea of being

Given a cheque - although not very clear,

Private Andrews likely went to officers

Mess, to inform another officer of events.

A further witness confirmed how Lieutenant

Whalley was slumped on his bed to appear

Drunk - in shaking him he asked him what

He was going to do; 'give the man a cheque.'

Whalley asked them to write this for him -

Private Donovan advised the driver a cheque

For 25s would be posted - in his evidence

Whalley informed court of personal worries.

Since late August his concerns centred 

About his wife having recently given birth -

On 5 September he had been all day at the

Nursing home, returning to camp at 9 p.m.

He could not sleep so then returned

To the nursing home by 1 a.m., where

Two Doctors held no hope for his wife.
In addition the child would not survive.

Staying there for many hours he finally

Left 9 p.m. Whalley took a taxi to stop

At a hotel, to drink 3 sodas and brandies

He had not eaten - but nor was he drunk.

Collapse came from mental worry and

Physical exertion - court then heard how

Whalley had been in army 11 years with

4 years active service in South Africa.

During that time no crime had been made

Against him - a letter was provided by late 
Lord Roberts to Whalley's parents, to say 

He had been part of his close bodyguard.

Whalley carried out his duties smartly,

As a keen soldier - while Captain Neale

Advised he proved to be excellent officer

And popular with colleagues and men.

ii

From Bedfordshire Yeomanry stood

Second Lieutenant H. E. R. Craig, to be

Accused that on 16 September 1916 he 

Was at Empire Music Hall Promenade.

He was found dancing whilst in uniform.

Captain T. V. Brown, Assistant Provost

Marshal of Australian Force, saw Craig

Step dancing, his arm around a civilian.

Captain Brown spoke to Craig to say his

Behaviour did not become an officer -

The Lieutenant replied he was not doing

Any harm - the Captain asked for his card.

The reply was, 'I have not got any,' to add

Was his word not good enough? then given

An order to report on Monday. 'I cannot

Do it' - then Craig followed Captain Brown.

Craig had asked for Brown's card in order

He may lodge a complaint; at 11.15 p.m.
A Captain Cameron asked him, after what

Brown had said, why did he follow him?

Craig denied he followed Brown - asked

Again if he understood he was to report

To the Provost-Marshals office the next

Morning - the reply was, 'I cannot report.'

After repeating that he must report, Craig

Was told not to loiter but go on his way -

Giving back reply, 'I shall stay where I like.'

At that point he was arrested and taken.

Travelling quietly in the taxicab Craig was

Quite sober - at Scotland Yard Lieutenant

Craig was put into a cell, to perform steps

Of a dance as the door was being locked.

Lieutenant Craig faced court-marshal over

3 charges of insubordination to a superior

Officer - this he denied, stating how he had

Only been at Promenade talking to a friend.

Further to explain that after being led into

The cell, where all the windows were open,

Lieutenant Craig stamped his feet to keep

Warm and that he had not been dancing.

iii

Second Lieutenant A. E. N. Phillips, an

Officer of the Royal Garrison Artillery sent

A telegram to the Anti Aircraft company,

Commander Captain Rotteburg one Saturday.

His words, 'kindly excuse me parade this

Morning: unavoidably detained.' Without word

Until Monday 18 September, to say by wire

He would report Tuesday with explanations.

Second Lieutenant A. E. N. Phillips was

Actually absent from Friday 15 to Tuesday

19 September - in his decision not to give

Any explanations, he instead gave evidence.

Stating that his section had no weekend duty,

Phillips had not realised that there were strict

Regulations in what his absence had meant -

If known he would not have taken time away.

Lieutenant Phillips defended his character,

To state he had been in the Matabeleland

And Natal Mounted Police, South Africa -

Having gained medals prior to his arrival.

He had decided to leave his police post there

To travel to England and fight for the Empire.

Having heard evidence, the court remained

Undecided on Lieutenant Phillips sentence.

Vi

On another day, without any connection,

A second Lieutenant of the Australian

Imperial Force, G. D. Lemon, had been

Present in London, 23 September 1916.

Second Lieutenant Lemon faced charges

Of drunken behaviour in Leicester Square

10.30 p.m. when he should have reported

To camp, catching his train from Waterloo.

Missing the 5.50 p.m. train that evening,

Lemon advised he was unaware of having

To get a specific train - he met an Australian

Friend, intending to travel to camp with them.

Lemon planned his return Sunday morning.

His promotion to rank of Second Lieutenant

From private had occurred in 1916; a court

Martial existed from August, for being drunk.

With Lieutenant Lemon's sentence yet to be

Decided, as was Second Lieutenant Phillips,
Lieutenant Craig, the keen, sober dancer's

Summing up said 'not guilty' - while Whalley's

Concerns for his wife, was found 'not guilty.'

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Courts-Martial - Charges Against Officers. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 7 October 1916. P.x14. Col.1. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213397/Daily-Telegraph-October-7-1916.html> [Accessed: 11 October 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 11 October 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213397/Daily-Telegraph-October-7-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Lieutenant 'Williams' Aged 17 - Wednesday, 2 February 1916

Impression sketch of Lieutenant 'Williams': Aged 17 - by Jamie.

Amid the determined youth

Of early war, was a lad

Of 16 years Clifford Probert -

Having grown in Tredegar

Monmouthshire; a county

Of South East Wales.

Young Clifford Porbert,

Took himself away

To a recruitment office

In Ebbw Vale - a Welsh

Town at the valleys head,

To give a false age of 19.

On discovery of her son's

Actions, Mrs Probert

Told the recruiting officials

That her sons real age,

Was only 16 years - with

This fact he was discharged.

This eager Clifford Probert

Did not stay at home,

Soon he left for Newport -

Under William Willams

The son signed once again,

With Royal Garrison Artillery.

Some time had passed, when

Mrs Probert was to learn

How her son was in the army,

At Great Yarmouth -

His success had led him

To become a Lance-Corporal.

When Clifford, then officially

Williams, learned how

He was to leave for the front,

He wrote sixteen letters -

To leave them with a soldier

Friend with strict instructions.

Whenever a letter came from

His mother at Tredegar,

To halt her worries, a letter

Would be posted to her -

Until this soldier orders

Took him to Dardanelles.

Later within the spring battle

For Hill 60, close to Ypres,

Clifford, pseudonym William,

Was wounded, to be sent

Home for a time - after some

Months, to be posted to Loos.

There within the fierce fight

This young Corporal

Volunteered to go forward,

Out into open danger -

Under fire he undertook

A task of dangerous work.

Gaining another wound,

This young Welsh

Man was recognised for

Bravery - promoted

To Lieutenant Williams,

Presented 25 September.

This came eight days from

His birthday, Saturday

18 September, that marked

His 17th year - Once home

In Tredegar Clifford was to

Be honoured in presentation.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Welsh Boy Hero - Romance Of The War. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 2 February 1916. P.11. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12130506/Daily-Telegraph-February-2-1916.html [Accessed: 2 February 2016].

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12130506/Daily-Telegraph-February-2-1916.html

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