Poem ~ Mobbs War, Monday 13 August 1917 - Wednesday 15 August 1917

Source: File: Edgar Roberts Mobbs. See an original image at: <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edgar_Mobbs.jpg> [Accessed 13 August 2017]

From the Boys Own World to a world war,

Figures of standing in arts and sport,

Edged from civilian life into khaki.

Already a legend on the sports field was

Edgar Mobbs, rugby player and cricketer.

Born Northampton, Edgar Roberts Mobbs

Lived Buckinghamshire, Dartmouth

House Olney, his formative home.

At 8 years 1882 Edgar played in rugby

Team of under 10's, to follow into house team.

A knee injury aged 16 meant a break from

Rugby for 5 years; instead to play cricket

And hockey - the tallest of 4 brothers

And 2 sisters, Edgar was faired haired and

Blue eyed at 6 foot -1903 he returned to rugby.

A career of success followed, to raise his

Status to sporting star - as captain

Of Northampton Rugby Club for

6 years Mobbs scored 177 tries - 1909

He played for England against Australians.

With his stature, physique, strength

And pace, Edgar was made a force

On the field - with Barbarians,

Northampton and East Midlands

Teams, also to include Toulouse, France.

Edgar Mobbs Aged 32 in 1913, decided

To retire from sport, to follow in father's

Steps within motor industry - when

Mobbs considered emigration to

Canada in 1914, European war broke out.

The sports man volunteered - set to gain

A commission but was refused,

Reason being over the age limit -

Yet undeterred Edgar used his own

Influence for others to form a special corps.

Joining as a private alongside 'Mobbs

Army,’ this Sportsman's Battalion

Became part of the 7th Northants

D company - to include other rugby

Players with Captains' of Bedford and Devon.

With his big personality promotion would

Follow. Arrival in France led Mobbs

Into Battle of Loos - rapid rise led

Him to become Major Mobbs - April

1916 he took command of 7th Northants.

After promotion to Lt Colonel, Mobbs

Alongside his company, fought

In Battle of the Somme - during

Attack on Guillemont village,

Lt Colonel Mobbs took a shrapnel hit.

Following mentions in Despatches

Twice, Lt Colonel Mobbs was

Awarded the DSO. December

1916, the following year, took

The Northants to another sector.

April 1917 and the Battle of Arras saw

D company gain many casualties.

7 June, whilst fighting in Ypres

Salient, Lt Colonel Mobbs took

A further wound in action at Messines.

Under 20 days later Lt Colonel Mobbs

Was back with his battalion - over

18 months Private Mobbs reached

Lit-Colonel - coveted as great

Hero of sport with boyish personality.

Soldiering had given Mobbs renewal -

He declared, 'heaps better than

Rugger' - adding it has more

'Variety' - discipline and grind

Of training appealed as a challenge.

Edgar Mobbs took to soldiering

With ease, as those around

Him witnessed how he felt all

Loss of those in his company -

To say that he would be back again.

Despite wounds, his ability to recover

Did not keep Mobbs from front

For too long. On 29 July duty

Posted Mobbs near Zillebeke,

At the Canada Street tunnels HQ.

Involved in launch of the third battle

Of Ypres, Lt. Colonel Mobbs

Was at hand to the front where

He witnessed many of the walking

Wounded return, stating loss of officers.

To follow duty to lead his men Mobbs

Moved to Shrewsbury Forest -

31 July the attack began with

Lt Colonel Mobbs forwarding

The company, ignoring his own status.

As Battalion commander Mobbs

Should not have been there -

In the thick of it at Lower Star

Post, he discovered a section

Of the battalion cornered by enemy.

Requisitioning hand grenades Mobbs

Gained a volunteer runner - the plan

Revived the old game tricks back,

In a two pronged rugby flanking

Movement, was how to take out guns.

Despite another reminder Mobbs

Headed off - the runner was

Quick - he could feel that old

Surge, back on the field the ball

Under arm; a try was just forty yards.

Thirty-five yards behind him a dull

Yell; 'for gods sake get down sir!'

Almost 30 yards Mobbs saw

The Flash of sweeping bullets -

Ready to let the Hun take a catch.

A teammate suddenly saw Mobbs

Drop, believing he had thrown

A grenade he fell alongside

Lt Colonel to see his wound -

A bullet had gone through his neck.

They paused on the lip of a shell hole.

Mobbs gasped to halt attempt

To dress the hit - he scrawled 

The gun position, pushed the map

Into the runner's hand with firm orders.

Shakily the man read Mobbs message.

'Am seriously wounded' - despite

Protests to leave him, Mobbs gave 

Orders; return see to his wound

Only after the need of reinforcements.

Lying in mud Mobbs could not fight

A fitful sleep - with ten minutes

His men found Lt Colonel Mobbs

Had died alone - action demanded

That they could not convey his body.

The Sports man's battalion pressed

On with duty - their leaders body

Would never be recovered, lost

In the battle - they just fought even

Stronger, to avenge a good man's death.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. Private To Lieut-Colonel - Famous Footballer Killed. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 06 August 1917. P.6. Col.2. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214752/Daily-Telegraph-August-6-1917.html> [Accessed: 13 August 2017].

Source: File: England Rugby: Remembering Edgar Roberts Mobbs. Available at: <http://www.englandrugby.com/news/features/remembering-edgar-roberts-mobbs/> [Accessed 13 August 2017]

Source: Olney and District Historical Society:  Edgar R Mobbs DSO (1882-1917) - Legendary Soldier Sportsman. Available at: <http://www.mkheritage.org.uk/odhs/articles/edgar-roberts-mobbs-dso-1882-1917/> [Accessed 13 August 2017]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 13 August 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214752/Daily-Telegraph-August-6-1917.html

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

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Poem ~ Third Year, 51 Weeks Of War - Monday, 30 July 1917

Source: File: Over German aerodrome. 
See an original image at: <http://www.earlyaeroplanes.com/archive3.htm> [Accessed 30 July 2017]

Along the battle front, into the Belgium sector

On the 4th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war,

Artillery raged - reports verified by Douglas

Haig, described enemy artillery close

To Armentieres and coastal area North of Ypres.

Yet allied activity was equal in the air above,

On the 4th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war.

Attacks carried out by the Royal Flying Corps

Led bombing attacks across German

Aerodromes, to number 4 to make destruction.

Downed aircraft of the enemy numbered 16;

On the 4th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war.

The attack force flew 40 miles into territory

Of the enemy - the report for Friday,

Told that three allied craft remained missing.

While raids were made through high clouds,

On the 5th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war,

Also saw night trench raids by British Tommy’s

At Fontaine-lez-Croisilles, Havrincourt

Fleurbix, Epehy and Rouex, in Ypres proximity.

Machine gun, trench mortar and 77 prisoners,

On the 5th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war

Proved a prize - yet air battles also continued -

A great wave of high activity would have

Seen 14 downed enemy craft and 16 destroyed.

Not without cost, as 13 allied plane were lost,

On the 5th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war.

Further bombing raids over 2 aerodromes

Whilst enemy railway stations suffered;

Flyers took out 2 German observation balloons.

Claims from a Berlin perspective entered news,

On the 5th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war.

Their own pilots taking down 35 allied craft -

How one squadron shot downed 6 pilots,

While ground saw intensity of highest artillery.

French efforts proved successful defence, on

4th and 5th days, 51st week in the 3rd year of war,

Having repulsed German attacks over Chemin

De Dames - as were those in Champagne

And Meuse between Hill 304 and Avocourt Wood.

At La Bovelle to Hurtebise French took ground over

On 4th and 5th days, 51st week in the 3rd year of war.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. The War - French Success - Activity In Flanders. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 30 July 1917. P.5. Col.1. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214740/Daily-Telegraph-July-30-1917.html [Accessed: 30 July 2017].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 30 July 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214740/Daily-Telegraph-July-30-1917.html

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

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Poem ~ Officer's Despair - Wednesday, 13 December 1916 - Thursday 14 December 1916

Impression sketch: Major Osborne Brace Pritchard by Jamie

With family background of father and grandfather

In military careers, Osborne Brace Pritchard

Perhaps was destined to follow in army boots -

From the end of a previous century year 1787,

Saw birth of Samuel Pritchard, who by 1851 had

Become retired Captain RN, living at Southsea.

Mary Pritchard bore 3 daughters and an only son,

Edward Brace Pritchard who in 1851 was 15 -

As a youth he joined Royal Marine Light infantry -

By year 1861 Edward Brace was serving at sea

Under rank of Lieutenant. 1865 saw his marriage

To Margaret Rosamund Osborn, at Arundel.

Children followed - after the eldest Beatrice Maud

In 1868 was Osborn Brace taking his mothers

Maiden name; place of birth being County Donegal,

Where his father was likely posted. Made a widower

By 1881 Edward took his family to Southsea -

There he married once more to Elizabeth Cotton.

At this time the children had grown and gone their

Ways with Osborn Brace joining the forces - from

Sandhurst with the Welsh Regiment as Lieutenant

1890. Having taken part in Sudan 1888, Gemaizah

1898, North West Froniter and 1903 Somaliland

Campaigns, Brace was a Special Service Officer.

1911 aged 43 Osborn Brace had reached the rank

Of Major to be a commanding officer at Cardiff

Barracks - Major Osborn Pritchard had by opening

Hostilities of 1914, experiences of a senior officer -

Among the first to enter initial campaigns in France,

Brace took part in fighting at Gheluvelt in Belgium.

A campaign that followed from German attempts to

Dash through France in a 'Race to the Sea' had led

Into the first battle of Ypres - centered on the village

Of Gheluvelt lying on a low ridge close to Ypres -

With ground lost a counter attacked had ensued -

Taking part in the lead Major Pritchard was wounded.

Praised for his gallantry the Major had been hit

During three different events. With recovery in Britain

For some months, Pritchard again returned to France

In late months of 1915, then as Lieutenant Colonel -

With 2nd Battalion into Somme Offensive 1916 aged

48, Osborne Brace Pritchard was in the midst of battle.

In the dug out of an HQ Battlefield Pritchard, along

With a signaler and orderlies, felt the sudden force

As an enemy shell made a direct hit  - while signaler

And orderlies were killed outright Lieutenant Colonel

Pritchard was buried alive - by luck he was rescued;

With this narrow escape his old wounds flared up.

The swelling on one leg was so severe that fellow

Officers were surprised he could walk - this required

A return home by September - invalided Osborne

Pritchard went to stay at the home of his older sister,

Beatrice and brother in law Ted, at Lewisham Hill,

South East London - yet matters played in his mind.

Having always been battle fit and close to his men,

Osborne now 48 and with various wounds to slow

Him down, laid on him perhaps as he left hospital

17 November to dwell on what happened and how

He might never be able to work with his men again;

Possibly led to a sudden deterioration of his mind.

In such contemplation he took to his room Monday

27 November. With his sister elsewhere in the house

He wrote some final words; 'Dear Ted and Bea - I am

Getting paralysed and my brain is going, please

Forgive - Osborne.' having picked up his service

Revolver from the desk Osborne shot himself dead.

A cocktail of despair and possible latent shellshock

Had led to suicide - a coroner declared how no one

Could have done more for his country than such

A gallant gentleman - posthumously awarded 1914

Star, he was recorded as having died from condition

Of battle fatigue, cut up by losses of his battalion.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Untitled. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 2 December 1916. P.10. Col.6. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213909/Daily-Telegraph-December-2-1916.html> [Accessed: 13 December 2016].

Source: File: Osborne Brace Pritchard. Available at: <http://historyinportsmouth.co.uk/people/ww1/pritchard-ob.htm

Lives Lived and Lives Lost - Portsmouth and the Great War> [Accessed 13 December 2016]

Source: File: People in Portsmouth Lives Lived and Lives Lost -Portsmouth and the Great War Osborne Brace Pritchard. Available at: <http://historyinportsmouth.co.uk/people/ww1/pritchard-ob.htm> [Accessed 13 December 2016]

Source: File: Genes Reunited. Available at: <http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/searchbna/results?memberlastsubclass=none&searchhistorykey=0&keywords=brace%20pritchard> [Accessed 13 December 2016]

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/searchbna/results?memberlastsubclass=none&searchhistorykey=0&keywords=brace%20pritchard

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 13 December 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213909/Daily-Telegraph-December-2-1916.html

ttp://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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Poem ~ Private Brown Aged 16 - Monday, 17 July 1916

Impression sketch for Private Brown aged 16

While well known how youth

Was keen to take part in war,

With older peers or brothers -

Determination was told of one

Particular boy, Fred Brown.

Home of the family was Gould

Road, Twickenham - August

1914 saw young Fred Brown

2 months after he turned 16 - 

His older brother was aged 17.

Already in the army, stationed

At Gibralter, the older Brown's

Battalion returned to Hounslow,

Ready to go to France - at a time

When volunteers were drafted.

Fred Brown was among those

That wanted to go and fight

But due to his age, unaccepted.

Yet 'no' was not an option for

This boy, who followed the draft.

As they collected their kit, Fred

Made a request that he might

Be allowed to join them - but

He was told he should stay; 
Only his brother was to go.

When the draft moved onto

The train station, Fred Brown

Followed - still, 'no' was not

An option - as the train pulled

Out, a carriage door opened.

Amid eager youths there was

A scramble to get aboard, Fred

Brown among them - already

Ahead at Southampton, a wire

Alerted the waiting authorities.

Having had their fun, the boys

Were rounded up - all except

Fred Brown - most likely helped,

He was smuggled to the boat,

Which set off across to France.

As they sailed, Fred Brown's

Civilian appearance and years

Gave him away - Fred aged

16 persisted, requesting that

He became an officer's servant.

Finally his desire was granted -

Over the next months of war

Fred recovered from shrapnel

Wounds - an eager, willing duty

Took Private Brown to Ypres.

During this time young Private

Fred Brown suffered in a gas

Attack, to leave him in serious

Condition - but as a soldier

He was ready for the Somme.

June 26 1916, close to his 18th

Birthday Private Fred Brown was

Killed, during a bombardment -

No mention of his brother, to say
Their father served on east coast.

By Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. 1916. British Boy's Courage - Killed On The Battlefield. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 17 July 1916. P.3. Col.7. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12212090/Daily-Telegraph-July-17-1916.html> [Accessed: 17 July 2016].

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

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12212090/Daily-Telegraph-July-17-1916.html

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

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Poem ~ Battle Plan:1916 - Tuesday, 23 May 1916 - Thursday, 25 May 1916

Source: File: Joseph Joffre, Commander in chief of French Army in 1914. [online] See an original image at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Joffre> [Accessed: 23 May 2016]

Source: File: Field Marshal Douglas Haig. [online] See an original an image at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Haig,_1st_Earl_Haig> [Accessed: 23 May 2016]

Source: File: General Foch. [online] See an original an image at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Foch> [Accessed: 23 May 2016]

After 11 months of a European struggle

Between allies and an offensive Germany,

Came the proposed need of clear strategy -

French Commander-in-Chief General Joffre

June 1915, set out ideal for the allies to unify

Their forces more effectively at Germany.

Between allied countries Britain, France,

Belgium, Russia, Serbia and Italy, formed

An Initial Inter-Allied Military Conference -

Arranged for 7 July 1915, held at Chantilly -

A need for regular meetings led to both

English and French leaders decisions.

17 November 1915, the two prime ministers

Met, to confirm requirement to organise armies

By a permanent committee - the documentation

By Joffre followed with the 'Plan Of Action' -

For coordinated forces of Russian, Italian,

British and French, due for date mid 1916.

At the military Conference 16 December

1915, Lieut-General Sir Archibald Murray

Presented a treatise on future of the war - but

Days later Robertson replaced Murray, while

Haig replaced French - as strategy confirmed

France and Flanders were centres of war.

Close cooperation would be on European

Ground - all efforts were to be for combined

Allied strength for offensive attacks around

Spring 1916. At December's end the Chantilly

Meeting Called by Joffre, formed a proposal

Before French President and ministers.

Following his appointment General Haig,

As commander of British Forces in France

And Flanders, came under French pressure

To combine their allied attack across a 60

Mile Front - the situation to be Somme -

Centred between Roye and Compiegne.

General Foch was ordered to prepare

French, from Somme River to Lassigny

In south - the idea for an offence on front

That saw stalemate over all other fronts,

And backed by British for success - Haig

Then agreed to take tenth Amy at Lens.

Modification of General Joffre’s proposal

Came by January 1916 - that by April's

End, five offences would be ready; three

South East, Oise, Champagne and Somme -

Haig would then create a seven-mile Front

North of the Somme to create damage.

This was to be in three months; 20 April.

Haig refused on three counts; to soften the

Enemy had no strategic purpose - also to be

Politically unsound - or likely seen as defeat

By their enemy; nor could forces be ready -

The proposal could only be bataille d’usure.

Along side French ideas, Haig asked

His Field Marshall's to devise parallel

Schemes - to consider available usage

Of 20 divisions over a 10 mile stretch -

And at which front to be most effective,

Alongside battle plans for frontlines.

They also had to consider Flanders;

About Houthulst, Lille area, Messines

And Wytschete Ridge, which was then

Discussed at first of what then became

Weekly Army Commanders Conference -

A finalised plan revealed 14 February.

Joffre amended his idea, to abandon

Of wearing out enemy before launch

Of a big offensive - the plan became

For minor British moves at La Bassee

And Ypres - while combined French

And British to be in area of Somme.

This major attack would be around

Date of 1 July 1916 - but then matters

Changed as German 5th Army launched

An attack of Région Fortifiée de Verdun -

Within five days Joffre knew Verdun

Would not be a short-lived conflict.

At the start of March General Haig

Was to carry on prepartions for north

Of the Somme - possibly earlier than

July - at the end of March a final plan

Was a fight at Lassigny and Hebuterne.

A change of importance was to drain

Germans away from Verdun - to alter

Initial start of 1 August to 1 July - Haig

Took over the planning of manoeuvres,

With support of General Rawlinson -

An 8 day bombardement would begin.

The plan was certain, with British army

Numbers increased by Earl Kitchener -

In August 1914 the five divisions grew

To 43 Divisions - 1 January 1916, saw

Around a million soldiers stand ground

Of France - munitions were yet to match.

At the end of January 1916 David Lloyd

George, Munitions Minster promised

By April, production would be increased -

Although no account was made of quality

Of gunnery and shells being produced -

Preparations stepped up a gear for July.

by Jamie Mann.

Source: File: Battle of the Somme - Spartacus Educational. Online. Available at: <http://spartacus-educational.com/FWWsomme.htm> Accessed 23 May 2016

Source: File: The Long, Long Trail: British tactical planning for the start of the Somme offensive, 1916. Online. Available at: <http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/battles-of-the-western-front-in-france-and-flanders/the-battles-of-the-somme-1916/british-tactical-planning-for-the-start-of-the-somme-offensive-1916/> Accessed 23 May 2016

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

communication, 23 May 2016). 

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Somme