Poem ~ Pointless Targets - Tuesday, 26 October 1915

Impression sketch of A German observation post near La Bassée Canal, 1915 - by Jamie. Taken from original at: http://www.nam.ac.uk/online-collection/detail.php?acc=1993-02-375-114

Within their advances about Loos,

British held positions had seen

Their strength reinforced since

September, which Germans knew.

Within the presence of the Royal

Army Medical corps, a Corporal

Williamson recorded in a letter,

A disastrous attack of the enemy.

The suggestion was desperation

By the German side, then faced

With increased numbers, with days

Or hours delays would give difficulty.

They had a plan which the allies

Knew - to aim and take a chalk pit.

With prior information gathered

By airmen, saw men in thousands.

Not too far away the enemy had

Gathered in woods, sheltered

And confident they believed how

At half a mile, they could succeed.

Positioned south of La Bassee

Canal they emerged - an enemy

Swarm, a solid formation of 900 -

Another block followed behind.

In German grey they moved out

Towards the chalk pit - from

The wood they would reach little

More than a hundred yards.

British rifle and machine gun

Fire started to cut them to bits -

It was said they howled and

Yelled, to fall dead on each other.

Others still came, their path forced

In clambering over the lying dead

Or wounded - only for them to hit

a solid wall of leaden gunnery.

More and more they shouldered

Against a biting wind - the more

Killed, the more that walked

Out to take their death it seemed.

Not one could get to the trenches

As the artillery shook the woods.

Still they piled into thousands

To form a human hill of death.

Demented or determined depended

On a view point of opposition -

Then elsewhere success, as German

Soldiers broke into a British trench.

Defence by bombers halted

The attempt - under this some

Could still crawl, all to surrender,

With prisoners easily taken.

Techniques of those men captured

Included ones who pretended

To be glad to fall into hands -

in thought of improved treatments.

A German Corporal Williamson

Encountered, spoke English well -

Despite caution to hear his 'yarns'

What he said was held in belief.

Advised of their objective, orders

They had been given were to take

The chalk pit at any sacrifice -

This they tried, to fail in heavy cost.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. German Defeat At Loos - a Soldier's letter. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 19 October. P.4. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11928883/Daily-Telegraph-October-19-1915.html [Accessed: 19 October 2015].

Source: File: John Kipling From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/John_Kipling> [Accessed: 19 October 2015]

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 19 October 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11928883/Daily-Telegraph-October-19-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1France

Poem ~ March To Conscription - Monday, 25 October 1915

Source: File: Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby, by Sir William Orpen.jpeg [online] see original image at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Stanley,_17th_Earl_of_Derby> [24 October 2015].

With war's necessity in maintenance

Of an army's strength, to gain conclusion

Of a successful end - army recruitment

Once again, was in forefront discussion.

19 October 1915; a Mansion House

Conference heard the speech by Earl

Of Derby, in his role Director General

Of recruitment set out new intentions.

Organised by Chairman of the Urban

District Councils, to include Parliament

Agents of the metropolitan area; a Lord

Mayor of Mayors hosted the speech.

Without any hint of a Christmas end,

The Earl began, to speak of importance

To give Earl Kitchener what he wanted,

For months ahead - by soldier supplies.

Fights conclusion would arrive - yet

Only if all and every man, realised the

Empire's duty lay on his shoulders -

An open secret was for easy numbers.

For this would be forty-six groups

Of men - those first twenty-three

To be unmarried men - these to be

Then set out, according to ages.

The other groups of twenty-three

Would consist of married males

To be called on - only when those

groups of unmarried men depleted.

Thus some were more expendable

Than others - when needed the

Groups would be given two weeks

Notice; with date for each man to join.

Those men deemed to be of special

Classes might appeal - only likely

As a delay  - they would be expected

To join a class later than their own.

An additional rule for men on leave,

Should receive no military pay - only

To be given chance for voluntary

Military drill; such was their fortune.

On the one hand, a chance to request

To join whatever service unit desired

Will be considered - while in reality they

Would be placed where most needed.

In optimism gaining many more numbers

Joining, than the military could train -

Such men were to be allowed home

On 3s per diem and put on 24 hours call.

All groups of men would then be taken

On for General service, with limited men

For non-frontline infantry - oddly,

Requests would be rightly respected.

Powers of discretion would be charged

To recruiting officers on non-starred

Men, in indispensible employment;

Exempt trade lists would be prepared.

The Earl stated intention of an elastic

Scheme, without red tape, in finalist

Preference to married men for service

And medical corps for married men;

An obvious tact then, was for classes

Of men with value and those without

Value - reduced to lists and numbers. 

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Lord Derby on his new Scheme - Classifying Recruits - Forty Six Groups - Unmarried Men First. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 20 October. P.9. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11928898/Daily-Telegraph-October-20-1915.html [Accessed: 20 October 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 25 October 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11928898/Daily-Telegraph-October-20-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Britain

Poem ~ Banned Poets - Sunday, 24 October 1915

Source: File:  Rudyard Kipling.jpeg [online] see an original image at: <https://www.poeticous.com/kipling> [24 October 2015].

With questions raised

In the House of Commons,

Came one subject discussed,

Which dealt with poets -

Subjected to military censors.

The home secretary

Was asked by Mr McNeill,

About quotes of Mr Kipling

And Mr Browning, being

Deleted from press dispatches.

A reply was given by Sir Simon

To suggest the Press Bureau

Might provide an acceptable

List of British poets  - might

That possibly prove ineffective?

With amusement provided

To the idea that the military

Did not object to poetry,

But to times of an inability

To recognize the art form.

Meanwhile Mr Outhwaite

Quizzed, if the same official

Had censored both Kipling

And Browning - Sir Simon

Replied how he thought not.

The belief was suggested

That the Browning quote,

That appeared in a despatch,

Had come from an accredited

Front line correspondent.

The quip reply by Mr McNeil,

Was asking for reassurance

That two separate people

Were responsible - Afterwards

Mr Simon made a response.

The Home secretary, who 

Had raised this issue,

From then on  prompted

All censors to; 'meditate

The thankless muse.'

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Censors and The Poets - 'No Military Objection'. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 22 October. P.6. Col.2. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11936818/Daily-Telegraph-October-22-1915.html [Accessed: 24 October 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 24 October 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11936818/Daily-Telegraph-October-22-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1England

Poem ~ Cavell: Shock in America - Saturday, 23 October 1915

Source: File: Execution of Edith Cavell cartoon.jpeg  [online] see an original image at: <http://www.trenchartofww1.co.uk/edith_cavell_44.html> [23 October 2015].

By way of American media, a new level

Had shifted from indignation at Edith Cavell's

Execution; 'horror and disgust' of brutality

Of German military, in opposition of American

Plea and premeditated murder of a woman.

In a complete report, The New York Herald

Predicted waves of horror about the world;

In a killing of a nurse, in a matter of military

Routine - New York Tribune told of a German

Woman in Britain given a lenient sentence.

Could then German policies or conscience

See mercy towards woman as a weakness?

The British Telegraph sported American unity

Against the island's enemy - who would pay

Dearly for loathing raised in both countries.

For some there was no surprise in atrocities

Carried out in Belgium; 'Zabern military

Despotism’ seemed to have no limitations -

Edith Cavell's unapologetic murder might only

Increase recruiting, as any Zeppelin raid.

Back to an American view came Wall Street

Journal, in asking if it would be too much

To request Germany to promise to halt such

Actions on women and to stop such murders?

Or maybe this was merely for amusement?

German-American viewpoint also expressed

An indignity, via editor of Staats Zietung,

Herman Ridder spoke; Cavell being executed

As an unnecessary shock - while Secretary 
Of State, Mr Lansing, was asked for opinion.

Would there be protests or action taken?

But the deed was made and anything done

After would have no viable effect - an equal

Opinion from Washington President Wilson

Said nothing might improve this situation.

Maybe America was at war,
In everything but taking arms?

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. America Roused - 'Horror and Disgust.' The Daily Telegraph, [online] 23 October. P.10. Col.1. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11936838/Daily-Telegraph-October-23-1915.html [Accessed: 23 October 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 23 October 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11936838/Daily-Telegraph-October-23-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1America

Poem ~ Anti-Protestor Lady - Friday, 22 October 1915

Impression sketch of Anti-Protestor Lady  - by Jamie

Wife of a major, Mrs Templar,

Strolled in the company of a friend -

The widow of a Colonel Finch -

The two women were out walking

On Tuesday 19 October.

In Farnborough on Alexandra road,

They encountered the presence

Of a William Hogg who, aged 47, was

Voicing his opinion, by process

Of a speech out in the open.

A few people were already

Gathered, when they both stopped

To watch - Hogg's statement

Was they were, 'sending them out

To murder them!'

In the obvious nature of referring

To troops, Mrs Templar gave

Her reaction, to call Mr Hogg a traitor.

The speaker stopped to ask

Her to come closer and say that.

In doing so Mrs Templar

Said how he was not only a traitor,

But a damned one at that -

The scene led to Mr Hogg's to appear

At Aldershot Police Court.

Mrs Templar said in evidence,

That her language could

Not have any excuse - as that came

To mind in condemnation,

In witness to that terrible thing.

After Mrs Finch confirmed

Events, Mr Hogg's plea was not guilty -

The son of a dean of church

Of Ireland - who had served through

The South African war.

This though seemed to make

No difference to court,

As Mr Hogg was found guilty; given

A choice of either a month

In prison or payment of £5 fine.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Patriotic Lady's Protest. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 22 October. P.12. Col.5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11936818/Daily-Telegraph-October-22-1915.html [Accessed: 22 October 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 22 October 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11936818/Daily-Telegraph-October-22-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1England

Poem ~ Habits of a Turkish Sniper - Thursday, 21 October 1915

Source: File: Gallipoli 1915 a sniping pair.jpeg An observer is looking for targets through a periscope, while the sniper is ready with rifle with periscope sight Photo taken by a soldier of the London Rifle Brigade (1/5th Battalion, The London Regiment) - [online] see an original image at: <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/A05767/> [21 October 2015].

Back two months to Summer’s August

Date 25^th the location Gaba Tepe, Turkey.

In the midst of the Dardanelles Imperial

Force Representative, Captain Bean

Told of the Turkish sniper’s ways.

Another environment; hot open spaces

In which to fight an opposition, whose

Acquaintance of rocks and gorse gave

Challenge for a determined invader.

Not the glutinous mud of Flanders

Nor the altitude of Alpine mountains -

But a long open valley, once silent -

Then filled with concealed fighters,

Those being the Turkish snipers.

Captain Bean's explanations gave

Two likely ways to deal with situations

Of the waiting, watching gunmen -

With ideas out of theoretical manuals.

One way to build across valley's length,

An imperial formation of a sandbagged

Wall - alternatively to put in place

A counter sniper buttress  - this would

Allow a man to stroll in sight of enemy.

The idea was that the Turkish shooter

Would find a score of rifle fire from

Hidden posts, would get bullets home -

Such is theory’s extension of cover fire.

An obvious strategist’s actions that sets

To protect advancing body of troops,

As they set from shelter of one trench

On way to take next - Thus this was

Adoption taken on by Anzac presence.

Assigned by that line’s Australian

Officer, one New Zealander was given

Reign to organise system of protection -

A sport that appealed to all Anzacs.

In tourist’s approach they made out

Lay of the land hillsides and valleys

Came under close scrutiny - in days

They were familiar with each and every

Hole, tunnel or corner of the enemy.

By recognition respect of the bravery

And cleverness of the Turkish sniper,

Realization of the fire he was under set

Him to suggest alternative source of fire.

The brave Turk took to stand breast

High at night, to face flashes shot

From a dozen loopholes - who then

Are countered as that lone gunmen,

A volunteer target draws their fire.

In darkness of the Gaba Tepe valley,

Silence was broken - snaps and cracks

Of flashes - like momentary candles -

Flash and speed in hopeless mockery.

Night firing in Dardanelles lacked

Accuracy - the Turks that lean from

Parapets, to attempt to focus down

On any possible figures in gullies -

Waste their shots over opposition.

Lights like star flashes - night skies

Merge with earth to form harmless

Night snipers - but in daylight’s promise

A periscope of a Turk was dangerous.

Endeavours came in all types and sizes;

Endless mirrors on sticks, in cases

Of metal, with dead and green leaves -

As a sandbag or sacking shreds,

To be part of a torn sandbag in wind.

A small tubular type, believed bullet

Proof, distracted by a larger dummy

Or even waved back and forth briefly;

All the cleverest types being smashed.

Night is when work was carried out

With the Turk no different - in pitch

Dark they left their murky trenches,

To curse as they stumbled amid scrub;

Sound and smell drift out to watchers.

The noise of work; a shovel or carpentry.

Then by light a newly built V, with hole

For a sniper appears, or a new sandbag -

Obvious to Anzac sniper who shoots it.

In one strange experiment one morning,

There appeared a wicker work shape

Over Turkish parapet a weird beast -

Between a pig and alligator - a snout

And openings like eyes, looking out.

Warily, not knowing it’s meaning, this

Thing was watched until one Anzac

Fired at it - paused to reload to see

The beast look directly towards him.

With no hesitation he fired rounds

Into its muzzle and the construction

Broke, being ripped to tiny bits, never

To reappear - Such strange sports

Captain Bean describes never ended.

Only after the British army landed in

Suvla Bay, Anzac snipers assigned

To join them - having lost sportsman

Who had been their first  organizer.

Within that July and August standoff

Another Australian, a polo player

Took over - then recalled to an attack

Turks on 6 August, before his snipers

Were ready, he fell amid the scrub oak.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Epic of Anzac -The Turkish Sniper. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 21 October. P.7. Col.1. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11936798/Daily-Telegraph-October-21-1915.html [Accessed: 21 October 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 21 October 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11936798/Daily-Telegraph-October-21-1915.html

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

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Dardanelles