Impression sketches
Canal at Boesinghe entrance to Ypres before and during war - by Jamie. See the originals at: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/36213/36213-h/36213-h.htm
An official French communication,
From 10 July 1915, gave information
Of further failed German attacks,
About the Yser canal – a wounded
French solider had provided a
picture.
The German perspective of a ‘Land
Of cursed waters,' was given by one
Captured German. From their place
On right bank, here enemy made
hold.
While all
German caution had been
Taken, word reached
French command
Of
enemy preparations, for full attack -
With
this information the French were
Prepared
and ready for such an assault.
9 July
opened, with dawn of German
Gas
bombs on the French left bank.
After
the gas bombs, at 9 a.m. massed
German
force provided little surprise.
An
enemy formed a funnel attack over
The
old stone bridge of Boesinghe -
Previously
having made heavy attempt
In
October 14 - chain bridges slung
Across,
about the bridge of Yser canal.
Some
shallow water allowed a waded
Crossing
- thus the German made
A
tenuous hold on the French side -
Then
confident, to be given new orders.
German
troops were to take French
Second
line trenches, a short distance
On
- by then the bridges streaming
With
German grey setting to reinforce
Their hold on the left bank of the
Yser.
At a stage when a Bavarian Company
Filled the bridge, their luck halted
in hit
By French 75’s - within moments
bridge
Heads hit to fall into waters
below,
With many Bavarians amid broken
stone.
With crossing destroyed, more
attempts
Of German chain bridges were
hurriedly
Thrown across, amidst French counter
Attacks of Belgian and French
Marines
Fixed bayonets, out to clear the
left bank.
Chaos took over within German Lines -
They struggled, falling in their
attempts
To assist two of their stranded
battalions;
French 75's re focused on sappers
work.
Under French fire they abandoned
Materials, if those soldiers
were not hit
They fell to submerge in the
canal depth;
Survival became nearly impossible,
'In the land of the cursed
water.'
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Fighting
at Boesinghe – Germans Trap.
The Daily Telegraph, [online] 22 July. P.10. Col.2. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11739263/Daily-Telegraph-July-22-1915.html
[Accessed: 22 July 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100
years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 22 July
2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Boesinghe
