Source:
File: Pond near Morton, Lincolnshire .jpg, 2015. In 1914 more than 4,000
Yorkshire soldiers were sent to Lincolnshire for training before heading off to
the battlefields of northern France. Photograph: Berliner Verlag/Archiv/dpa/Corbis.
[online] Available at:<http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/local-news/seven-soldiers-who-died-on-home-soil-100-years-ago-to-be-remembered-1-7030544>
[Accessed: 20 February 2015].
From the corners
of Yorkshire
Seven men - along
with 4000
Others -were sent to Lincolnshire.
In preparation to
fight in France
They embarked on
training exercises.
A mile out of
Gainsborough town,
The soldiers of the
3rd West Riding
Territorial
Brigade, were stationed
In a small
village of Morton -
About this place of
the country
Were lakes and
ponds and open
Fields, chosen
for army training.
In spite of the
choice of a shallow
Lake Captain
Harold Hirst still
Followed
orders - despite
Local legends
that the ponds
About were
bottomless
And other
warnings of depths
Of water from
regimental officers.
Early in the
morning -
On Friday the 19
February,
1915, Captain
Harold Hirst
Of Dewsbury - a
town linked
To the men of 4th
Battalion
Kings Own Light
Infantry - led
Two platoons of D
Battalion
Out to the
training fields.
Part of their
plan in France
And Belgium, was
to cross
Canals safely -
with ability
To build light
pontoons,
When necessary -
the Captain
Would train them
in this
Process, ready
for deployment,
Within short
weeks.
The place, a
short distance
From the river
Trent, where
They stood about
a bottomless
Pit - a depth of 32
feet - while
Within nearby
fields about
Were the sights
and sounds
Of soldiers on
drier exercises.
Between 20 to 40
soldiers
Were to be given
instruction -
Seven of these
Yorkshire men
In the group,
came from civilian
Trades, such as
Fred Cooke
A plate-layer of
East Ardsley
Being an older
man of 33.
While among the
younger,
Sharing a few
jokes, was
Ernest Cockell
aged 20,
From
Wakefield - leaving
His job on
Westgate station
Maybe finding a
mate
In William Dent,
from Morley
A young mill
worker of 21.
At the back,
Edmund Battye
Of Batley - a
miner at 20,
Stamped his feet
in the cold,
Being one of
three brothers
To answer the
King's call.
Private Alfred
Bruce, among
Them all listened
to instruction.
A Harrogate man
at 22, from
His job as a
clerk - but whose
Real skills were
in football.
Not quite as
young, stood
Smart John Myers,
just 24 - had
Worked as a
chauffeur - now
Away from his
home of Dewsbury.
While somewhere
to his side,
Was Private
William Atheron,
Lighthearted man
of Wakefield,
Who was to be
happily married,
Within two weeks
time.
Captain Hirst, as
their leader,
Gave instruction
to their purpose.
Indicating the
basic materials
To build their
raft - this was not
A ship or boat of
permanence, but
Makeshift, in
order to get across
Water and get
into the fight with
Their enemy.
Therefore time
Was limited,
working under fire.
With a smart
order to begin
The men jumped
too - mostly
Eager, as did a
19 year old -
Another miner
from Batley,
Private Creighton
- to comment
That this was
abit of a lark.
Although his mate
felt they
Were overdressed
for the part.
Two waterproof
tarpaulins
Were unfolded and
stretched out
And tied - then
the fun part -
Conveying a pile
of hay and straw
Into the belly of
the craft.
The men moved as
the Captain
Gave orders -
allowing some
Lighthearted
time, the men
Crawled in
between, amid dusty
Straw, that was
thrown inside
Upon them - yet
with a keen
Voice to keep
them in check.
With such a crowd
construction
Was quick, to
form a structure
Of urethane and straw - three
foot
In depth and
six-foot square.
The men stood
back, at ease
Looking upon
their creation.
In order to
maintain some
Urgency, Captain
Hirst, gave
His instruction
for the launch.
Some fifty yards
away,
Occupied in a
field with
Their dull
section drill, others
Noted the
building of a pontoon,
By jolly men -
with a little envy
To do other than
what they
Were doing -
among these dry
Landed men was
Private Ewart
Whiteley Mann of
Batley Carr,
And another man
of Batley -
Lance Corporal
George Sykes.
Sergeant Charles
Hemmingway
Kept his charge
of men busy
Including Walter
Gatenby.
The intention was
to test the craft,
Just a short way
out on the water.
Little more than
six foot from shore,
The raft was
pushed out,
To float
successfully - held in place
By a man on shore
with a boat hook.
First aboard was
Captain Hirst,
Himself, watched
closely by those
Who had never
before built a float,
This first
experience of their army life.
One experienced
man, was given
Charge of the
fourteen foot
Punting pole -
although the water
Was twice that
depth - the Captain
Gave orders for
them to board.
With their leader
stood in a corner
Each man took
their first steps
Onto the cushion
of straw -
Wearing equipment
and packs.
Some said forty
stood on top
It was most
likely twenty were on
When matters
started to go wrong.
At the corner,
with the raft
Six foot, from
shore the last
Two were allowed
on board,
When the weight
shifted -
The Captain first
saw water
Come about his
feet.
Hirst then
ordered the men
To stand
still - but still water
Rushed on as
their load still
Shifted, - the
inexperienced
Soldiers reacted,
as the craft
Tipped - throwing most men
Down into the
deep water.
Fred Cooke felt
the bitter
Tinge of water,
while beside
Him William Dent
saw himself
Submerge, with
the weight
Of boots and
pack, dragging
Him down - as did John Myers.
Ernest Cockell
tried to hold
Onto the canvas,
yet the angle
Was too much.
Edmund Battye
Flew, feeling the
force of water
Hit him hard, as
Alfred Bruce
Kicked at the
dark forbidding
Water trying to
lose his boots.
William Atheron
already in
Tried to swim
without experience.
With a commotion
raised, those
On drill sped
over to the pond.
Private Mann
suddenly ran
With Lance
Corporal Sykes -
Throwing off pack
and coat
They dived into
the pond.
Each diver swam
to the first
Man flaying in
the water.
As Captain Hirst
touched
The bank, a form
of a sergeant
flew over him,
whilst other
Swimmers went to
assistance.
Lance Corporal
Chorely
Pulled one to his
safety,
Going out to
another.
While those on
the banks,
Used poles,
reaching out
Hands with
Private Barber.
As Lance Corporal
Chapelle
Taking urgent
action
To stop the men
drowning.
Then, within a
short time
As Chorley now
almost
Exhausted, saw
how some
Now lay still in
the water.
Others could not
be seen.
Within the depth
a presence
Felt himself sink
- a strange
Calm for William
Atheron
Who looked up to
see
Watery sky -
where figures
Arms and legs
kicked about.
He thought them
as angels,
High over him -
as he took
The strain to
hold his breath.
Along side him
another man
Was twisting in
mid water,
Pulling at straps
of his pack.
John Myers was
not
A swimmer, as he
pulled
Off the sodden
weight
That dragged him
down.
He had only ever
been
In service - as
chauffer
To a Doctor and a
Captain.
He was just
twenty-four,
As he thought
about
His forty-eight
hour leave
For a wedding -
John saw
His four sisters
and five
Brothers’ call to
him -
Lighter without
his pack,
He drifted
skywards
His relief cut by
sharpness
Of held breath -
he slumped,
Only able to
breathe water.
Fallen on the
ponds side
Private Creighton
lay still
Devoid of breath
- 'he’s gone,'
Said one. 'No
he's not,' said
Another, and
worked on him,
Until his
breathing returned.
Then the surface
of the pond
Was still again,
with a half sunk
Pontoon of straw
- with a single,
Unused lifebuoy,
drifting away -
Passing between
shapes
Of lost men - the
five of them
Pulled slowly
ashore - a roll call
Of the two
platoons, found
Two still missing
- their recovery
Was made some
hours later
By useage of boat
and drags.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Pontoon Accident To Territorials - Seven Men
Drown. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 20 Feb. P.10. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11420995/Daily-Telegraph-February-20-1915.html
[Accessed: 20 February 2015].
Source: File: PONTOON OVERTURNED.
Cymru 1914 - Friday 26th of February, 1915. [online] Available at: <http://cymru1914.org/en/view/newspaper/4098610/6
Monday 22nd of February, 1915> [Accessed: 20 February 2015].
Source: File: Nostalgia with Margaret Watson: Tragedy on
British shores. 19 February 2015. Dewsbury Reporter. [online] Available at: <http://www.dewsburyreporter.co.uk/news/nostalgia/nostalgia-with-margaret-watson-tragedy-on-british-shores-1-7115409>
[Accessed: 20 February 2015].
Source: File: Centenary tribute to drowned
soldiers. Friday
13th February 2015 [online]
Available at: <http://www.thepressnews.co.uk/press-news/centenary-tribute-drowned-soldiers/> [Accessed: 20 February 2015].
Source: File: Seven soldiers who died on home soil
100 years ago to be remembered. 04 January 2015. [online] Available at: <http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/local-news/seven-soldiers-who-died-on-home-soil-100-years-ago
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 20 February 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Lincolnshire
