Poem ~ Munitions And Women - Friday, 26 January 1917 - Saturday, 27 January 1917

Source: File: Women working at the Ferranti factory. See an original image at: <http://www.centenarynews.com/article?id=3291> [Accessed 26 January 2017]

On the 4^th floor of Harrods, London SW,

The Georgian restaurant acted as a venue;

Depicted for a select clientele were massed

Workers, working in country’s protection.

Engaged in night and day manufacturing

In defence of the nation, half a million

Women were employed by the Ministry

Of Munitions - established in May 1915.

Displayed at the London SW address,

Was a photographic exhibition of women

Workers, undertaking the armaments

Manufacture in black and white images.

In England's reorganised industries were

Some 4,600 centres making armaments;

Along side national factories of munitions,

In which able women played a vital role.

The exhibition, organised by Munitions

Of Ministry, were aimed at the Georgian

Restaurant patrons, who would peruse

The honest black and white depictions.

15 varied types of industry were shown

In 250 photographs - ordinary women

Working in completion of arms and how

These workers were given much support.

Hospital and welfare canteens shown

Alongside the munitions workers - taking

Control of manufacturing explosives,

Barbed wire, shipbuilding and aircraft.

Engineering, both electrical and general

And building of gunnery the purpose

Of this project acting a recruitment;

Women and more women are needed.

An appeal went out to all 18 to 45 year

Old women to approach their nearest

Employment exchanges, or provincial

Training centres, in London or counties.

A bill of fare would then explain the cost 

Of living for a woman in consideration;

These were real images of real women,

With dirt stained and determined faces.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. Women's Munitions Works - Exhibition Of Photographs. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 16 January 1917. P.10. Col.4. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214109/Daily-Telegraph-January-16-1917.html> [Accessed: 26 January 2017].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 26 January 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214109/Daily-Telegraph-January-16-1917.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Women

Poem ~ Sergeant Flora; Serbian Fighter - Thursday, 11 January 1917 - Monday 15 January 1917

Source: File: Private Flora Sandes. See an original image at: <http://www.badassoftheweek.com/sandes.html> [Accessed 11 January 2017]

i

There was a girl Flora Sandes,

Born in 1876, North Yorkshire -

Flora was a daughter of an Irish

Clergyman Samuel Sandes.

A middleclass background

Of likely genteel upbringing,

Did nothing for the determined

Young girl, who did not favour

Girl's dolls or sewing - to only

Wish she might have been a boy.

Formative years of Flora Sandes

Saw her family move to Suffolk,

Where she favored hobbies

Of shooting and horse riding.

Dreams of adventures filled

Her young mind, as she charged

Across fields on horseback with

An imaginary sword of Crimea

Status to attack Russian rank -

Her father loved Flora's spirit.

A proper education for a young

Lady could do nothing to stay

Victorian values of feminine

Pursuits, to favour masculinity.

18 in 1894 Flora undertook

To train as a stenographer -

A drive for adventure became

Funded by money left her from

A wealthy uncle, allowing her

To undertake travel passion.

She took a route through Cairo,

Across the Atlantic, to travel

To Canada’s British Columbia

And Unites States of America.

Here the gun totting Flora shot

A man - the act she described

As self defence - returning home

To London she learned to drive

And bought a French racing

Car, while joining a shooting club.

ii

Flora by 1912 was in Serbia for the

Brief Balkan war - where a league

Of Greece, Montenegro, Bulgaria

And Serbia faced Ottoman Empire.

The First Aid Women’s Yeomanry

Assisted to bring aid to wounded -

Originally from Omdurman battle

Of 1898 - here a wounded sergeant

Saw how many died from lacking

First aid; his idea was a new corps.

This would be mounted nurses,

Who could ride onto the field

After battle, to render first aid -

This evolved into the Yeomanry.

As war ended in 1913 Flora was

Back home, to live with her old

Father and nephew Dick, where

Her boredom was evident from

Chaotic household, until August

1914 - a fresh war had emerged.

28 July had seen Serbia invaded

By Austria Hungary - within

Seven days Flora Sandes had

Travelled into the danger zone.

Led by Mabel Grouitch, a unit

Of St John's Ambulance made

Of 36 women in Kragujevac -

On the front line Flora nursed

In varied military hospitals; within

A year she could speak Serbian.

In October 1915 Flora joined

Serbian Red Cross, alongside

The Iron Regiment, the Serbian

Army’s 2nd Infantry Regiment.

With odds against them Serbia

Was being forced to retreat - escape

Could only be by Albanian heights.

Infantry and the Red Cross made

It to a stage where ambulances were

Unable to pass - Flora took decision.

iii

In a declaration, Flora stated

She would become a private

In the 2nd Regiment, taking

Off her Red Cross badge.

A report of a wounded soldier

Brought to notice the unusual

Wounded fighter, in a Salonkia

Hospital filled by male soldiers.

12 December 1916, reporter

F. Calvert met the brown eyed

Fresh faced, cropped grey haired

Lady, at No 41 military hospital

Camp, to accommodate 1,600

Men; Flora Sandes sat up in bed.

Lying in the nurses ward Sandes

Smiled to explain the bandages

On her right hand arm - along the

Shoulder to knee - had been injured.

Broken bones and torn flesh were

Result of Private Sandes encounter

With a Serbian hand bomb - when

Assiting Serbes clerance of a trench;

Her bravery had been rewarded

Given by Prince Regent of Serbia.

Days before on behalf of the Prince,

A Royal aid-de-camp visited Flora,

To ceremonially award her a gold

And Silver Cross of Kara-George.

In Serbia The Order of Karađorđe's

Star was that country’s highest

Decoration - for bravery in combat -

Flora Sandes reached under her

Pillow and held up decorated cross

For inspection by the reporter.

Flora’s story was relayed to say

How she had first entered the war

As a nurse - by the autumn retreat

Of 1915, she was rear guard private.

iV

Private Sandes actions led to gain

Of promotion to Sergeant Sandes.

The army reached Corfu to find

Recuperation - Flora was involved

Next on Macedonian front to fight

In campaign; 12 September 1916.

More than ninety days passed as

Sergeant Sandes fought alongside

Serbian men, every hour filled

With frontline acts of gunfire.

High ground made the front,

With foe of Bulgaro-Germans

In fight north from Gornitchevo

And Kaymakchalan, to Hill 1,212.

Snow lay on ground- they waited

For order to rise up and attack.

Flora and her soldiers paused

For some time, when order came

To attack at 7 a.m. - as officer she

Led the way, but admitted a flaw.

Her men were faster to arrive first.

Sergeant Sandes closed as fast

As she could to the Bulgarian line

With some others when a grenade

Was thrown into their midst - two

Others in explosion fell wounded.

Close by an officer saw her fall

And crawled across snow to Flora

And dragged her back to rocks;

Pulled by a broken arm caused pain.

Dressed on field and taken away

By stretcher, she praised her rescuers.

Grenade splinters had caused some

25 wounds - with some yet to be

Removed - reporter Calvert spoke

Of her high spirits and her request.

Asking Calvert to gain her a volume

Of Rudyard Kipling especially to read

'If' again; 'the finest poem written'- words

To challenge a son to become a man.

by Jamie Mann.

Calvert, F., 1916. Woman Soldier - Fought In Serbia - Scottish Lady's Medal. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 30 December 1916. P.11. Col.1. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214039/Daily-Telegraph-December-30-1916.html> [Accessed: 11 January 2017].

Source: File: Flora Sandes. Wikipedia. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_Sandes> [Accessed 11 January 2017]

Source: File: Flora Sandes. Ellen Castelow. Available at: <http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Flora-Sandes/> [Accessed 11 January 2017]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 11 January 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214039/Daily-Telegraph-December-30-1916.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Women

Poem ~ Mystery Of Private Brazil - Saturday, 9 December 1916 - Sunday 10 December 1916

Source: File: Edwin and Annie Brazil - researched by Thomas Uhlarik, John Hampden Grammar School. Wikipedia. Available at: <http://www.galaxypix.com/Sally/Losttheplot/Tellthemofus/BrazilE.html> [Accessed 9 December 2016]

Source: File: Attestation papers of Edwin Brazil. Available at: <http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=61953> [Accessed 9 December 2016]

Source: File: Wycombe and the Somme part 4 Gilbert Bates and Edwin Brazil researched and performed by pupils from John Hampden Grammar School and Wycombe Abbey School.  See original footage: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g19ChiaNn78&feature=youtu.be&t=6s> [Accessed 9 December 2016]

i

Tucked away in an almost insignificant report

Page 14, column 3 of The Daily Telegraph,

Noted the loss of a Canadian soldier; although

Facts around him were left as a mystery.

An Englishman Edwin Brazil born Colchester

Essex, 26 June 1875, whose circumstances

Went unexplained; married, Edwin was living

In Canada by the second year of war.

Following his reasons Edwin joined the services

As a Canadian, with 179th Battalion Cameron

Highlanders of Canada - declaring his kin within

Attestation papers dated 13th November.

Next of kin being his wife Annie Huntley Brazil

From High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

In England, though Edwin was living Winnipeg,

Manitoba in Canada; his trade a wood carver.

Then aged 39 and five months Edwin Brazil

Had a medical examination 12 November 1915.

Height 5 foot 9, described as having thinning

Black hair, fresh complexion with brown eyes.

His chest at full expansion was 38', and noting

He had operation wound on left foreleg -

The medical Captain considered him fit; Brazil's

Attestation signed by a lieutenant Colonel.

Having been recruited in Winnipeg, Canada

Edwin Became Private Brazil 859265 and

Sailed to England, 4 October 1916, on H.M.T.

Saxonia - arriving Liverpool 13 October.

Private Brazil was soon promoted to the post

Of Acting Corporal - by date 17 October to be

Stationed at the Sandling Camp in Folkestone.

Gaining leave Edwin visited his old home.

ii

With 6 days leave to spend, Edwin travelled

Returning to his wife living at 'Brouhaul,'

Amersham Hill, High Wycombe - situated on

A leafy road of various substantial houses.

When those few days came to an end acting

Corporal Edwin Brazil informed his wife

That it was time for his returning to Sandling

Camp - that night Edwin left their home.

Edwin though had no intentions in travelling

To camp, instead he travelled into London,

For whatever reason - then 25 November 1916

Saturday, Edwin Brazil was out walking.

The hour was dark as Edwin Brazil crossed

Grosvenor Place, when all of a sudden

He was hit by a motor bus - the driver and

Others close by went to assist him.

Before he could be taken to St Georges

Hospital, Acting Corporal Brazil died

Of his injuries, lying on the London street -

An inquest was held 30 November 1916.

In conclusion the driver was exonerated from

Any blame, as the verdict of the inquest

Declared this as accidental death - Edwin

Brazil was laid to rest High Wycombe.

Records showed that his last known address

To be Mrs Reeves, 242 Ellen St, Winnipeg,

Canada, though Edwin would declare his will

And estate to 'my wife, Anna Huntley Brazil.'

The mystery of Corporal Brazil perhaps no

Mystery - having married young to Annie

Stevens to become estranged by his behaviour

His wife had hoped that he might change.

Emigrating to Canada, still working as a wood

Carver, Edwin sought a new life - only to return

To England, to see Annie after long years - yet

A hope of love again lost in pointless death.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Killed By Motor. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 1 December 1916. P.14. Col.3. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213905/Daily-Telegraph-December-1-1916.html> [Accessed: 9 December 2016].

Source: File: Edwin Brazil. Available at: <http://buckinghamshireremembers.org.uk/php_scripts/bksidget.php?id=516> [Accessed 9 December 2016]

Source: File: Canadian Virtual War Memorial: In Memory of Corporal Edwin Brazil. Available at: <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/343890> [Accessed 9 December 2016]

Source: File: Edwin Brazil, researched by Thomas Uhlarik, John Hampden Grammar School. Available at: <http://www.galaxypix.com/Sally/Losttheplot/Tellthemofus/BrazilE.html> [Accessed 9 December 2016]

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

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213905/Daily-Telegraph-December-1-1916.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Canada

Poem ~ Patriotic Gesture - Friday, 20 October - Saturday, 21 October 1916

Impression sketch for a girl's patriotic gesture.

Established in the heart of the English capital,

The Fishmongers Hall had witnessed many

Varied eras over 600 years, from medieval

Beginnings as a city guild; once destroyed

In the great fire of London was then rebuilt.

With such a history the Fishmongers Hall

Again adapted in 1914 in a time of war -

Alderman wives in approaching many

Firms made request to Fishmongers Hall.

Then owned by a city livery company.

In need to treat wounded men, the hall agreed

To become Royal Red Cross Hospital; while

Small and grand facing the River Thames, the

Situation served well for recovering officers

With 27 beds; opened on 1 October 1914.

Along with the apartments used on the first

Floor, the Great Hall was divided into five

Cubicles next to the windows. Positioned

Amid the gilded decoration, was another

Room divided into two, to hold four beds.

A wooden hut was constructed out on

The balcony - for those cases of septic

Nature or needing open air - on the quiet

Side were other rooms for more serious

Wounded, with X-ray and operating rooms.

A 27-bedded hospital gave environment akin

To homeliness with armchairs, electric lights

And reading tables - pink rugs next to beds

With down quilts - meals served in rooms

Allowing two guest visitors for afternoon tea.

Situated alongside London Bridge, endless

Traffic passed by. This included one young

Lady, who decided to write to the grand

Hospital offering her services - prompted

By her daily excursions across the bridge.

Though her actual name was finally omitted

From the published transcript, Jane as she

Might be called for purposes here, would

Have seen wounded men taking the air

On the balcony - being moved to assist.

The House Surgeon of Fishmongers Hall

Hospital, had received the letter from Jane,

A city worker, who began by apologetically

Saying she was taking liberty in her question,

To ask after the process of healing wounds.

Jane had heard that there had been a lack

Of skin - which if grafted to the wounded

Man, would to be better and easily healed.

For this purposes Jane made offer of her

Own skin, as much as practically possible.

Jane informed the house surgeon of her

Situation - being obliged to travel every

Day into the city to earn a living - this

Was not an impulsive idea - no doubt

Having seen arrivals of ambulances.

Jane’s own situation disallowed any

Chance to help soldiers as other girls

Her age had done - how she might help

Then by offering her own skin - she wanted

To do this for her two fighting brothers sakes.

Having taken much time to think of this

Contribution, Jane stated how she knew

Of nowhere else to write - furthermore that

If they could not use her services for taking

Skin grafts, where else might she approach?

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. A Girl's Patriotism - Offer to Hospital. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 10 October 1916. P.5. Col.3. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213439/Daily-Telegraph-October-18-1916.html> [Accessed: 20 October 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 20 October 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213439/Daily-Telegraph-October-18-1916.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1London

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/

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1London