A Policeman's Poem

Scroll honouring men of Luton police force who served in the Great War [Po/PH2/7/4]

Saturday 1st September 1917: Bombadier Alfred H. Goss, a former member of the Luton Police Force now serving with the Heavy Trench Mortars, is at the Bath War Hospital suffering from trench fever. He writes that he is “getting on favourably” and has sent some verses of his own composition to the Luton News for publication. These include the following: 

Having been a soldier
For fifty years or more
I’ll tell to you a story
Of the Kaiser and the war.
He has a great big army,
There’s not the slightest doubt,
With all his guns and all his men
He can’t knock Tommy out. 

The “contemptible little Army”
That fought him on the Aisne
Returns again to action
To knock him back again.
They knocked him back upon the Somme,
They knocked him back at Vimy,
They carried the heights of Westhoek Ridge,
And of airmen he’s not many. 

There’s our “contemptible little Army”
Out in old Flanders now,
And how to stand and hold his ground
Prince Rupert doesn’t know how.
He uses his best tactics,
And shock troops he inspires;
He can’t stop our artillery
Or the lads behind the wires.

Source: Luton News 30th August 1917

Eisteddfod at Bedford

Arch Druid Corporal Daniel Hughes (left) and Bard Private Alfred Jenkins (right)

Monday 24th April 1916: Last year Bedford celebrated a Highland Games for the first time. This year it has enjoyed a Bank Holiday Eisteddfod thanks to its Welsh visitors. The event was organised by the Borough Recreation Committee, with twenty five competitions programmed to last for five and a half hours without an interval. Due to the large number of entries preliminary competitions were held, with just the top three in each event performing at the finals at the Skating Rink.

The Eisteddfod opened with events for drums and bugles, followed by trumpets and mouth organs. Only two competitors entered for the stringed instrument class, with the clear winner playing a dulcimer. Impromptu speech proved an amusing event, with contestants speaking extempore on subjects ranging from mothers-in-law to Zeppelins and mud. Other events included singing, both solo and choral, and recitations (including humorous verse). The choir competition was the blue riband musical event, with the R.A.M.C. choir ending victorious. Separate events were arranged for civilians, including one for choir boys. Two boys entered but only one had the nerve to perform; he was awarded a special prize of 5 shillings and commended for his pluck.

The Eisteddfod ended with the “chairing of the bard”, Private Alfred Jenkins of the R.A.M.C., who won the title for his poem on “A Soldier’s Life”. Corporal Rev. Daniel Hughes, W.C.C.S, as Deputy Arch Druid of the Isle of Britain, acted as Master of Ceremonies.[1]  He led the way on to the platform carrying a sword and wearing a toga and laurel chaplet, followed by three assistants in togas, two of them chaplains, and Sister Butterworth, Assistant Matron of Ampthill Road Hospital carrying the laurel chaplet for the bard. After a short speech by the Arch Druid Private Jenkins was escorted to his seat while the piano played “See the Conquering Hero Comes”. The Arch Druid explained that this was a ratification of the honour by the audience and asked three times in Welsh if there was peace; each time the Welsh members of the audience replied that there was. Sister Butterworth crowned the Bard with the laurel chaplet, the Arch Druid and the two chaplains gave short eulogies in Welsh, and the ceremony ended with the singing of “Land of my Fathers”.

Source: Bedfordshire Times, 28th April 1916

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[1] Private Alfred Jenkins is a Presbyterian Minister of Pencoed and a graduate of the Welsh University. The Deputy Arch Druid of the Isle of Britian, Corporal Daniel Hughes, is a Baptist Minister of Pontypool.

Nursery Rhymes for 1916 Children

Z1306/16/35/8

Sunday 30th January 1916:

By an anonymous contributor from Moreton House School, Dunstable.

I. 

Ride a cock horse

To Victoria Cross,

Be a brave soldier

Whatever it cost.

Gallant in khaki,

A gun in your fist,

You shall have honour,

As soon as you ‘list.

II. 

Tom, Tom, the Englishman,

Took a gun and away he ran,

The music rolled, the drums did beat,

As Tom went marching down the street.

III. 

Belgium the Buffet,

Sat on a tuffet,

Just in her usual way.

There came the great Kaiser,

Who sought to bestride her,

And drive little Belgium away.

Source: The Moretonia, December 1915 [Z930/1/2]

A War Alphabet

Kindergarten classroom at Moreton House School, Dunstable, c.1910 [Z1306/36/13/5]

Friday 31st December 1915:

A is for Armies whose brave deeds we sing,B stands for Belgium, we honour her King,
C for our Colonies, flocking to fight,
D for the Dardanelles. Did we do right?E is for England who’s “seeing it through,”F for fair France who is trusty and true;G is for Germans, whose cause is so rotten,
H stands for Honour, a word they’ve forgotten.
I stands for Italy, come to our aid,
J Jellico, who will see sea-debts paid.K for Lord Kitchener, on whom we rely,
L is for Loos, where the Germans did fly.
M is for Mons, where some thousands fell, N for our Navy- where? No one can tell.
O stands for Officers, brave men indeed;
P is for Privates who follow their lead.
Q stands for Quarrel, which we never sought,
R is for Russia, how bravely she’s fought!S is for Serbia, not lacking in bravery,
T for the Turks who’ll soon be in slavery.
U is for Unity, shown by Allies,
V is for Victory, surely their prize;
W for Winter, a dreadful time then,
X is for Xmas which brought “Peace to men.”Y is for Year, may the New Year bring peace,
Z is for Zeppelin, whose visits must cease.

(from a V and VI Form Competition, Moreton House School, Dunstable)

Source: The Moretonia, December 1915 [Z930/1/2

The Kaiser Dreams - The Britisher Speaks

Thursday 26th August 1915

Kaiser Wilhelm II [Wikimedia]

When the Kultured German Kaiser,

Let loose the dogs of War,

He said: “I’ll crush my neighbour,

It will not then be far

To England, which I’ll conquer!

(There may be heavy loss),

But every man who lands there,

Shall have an iron cross.”

The Kaiser Dreams –

“For years I’ve dreamt of Conquest,

And of victory there’s no doubt!”

The Britisher Speaks –

“Now Sir John[1] he still keeps waiting

And wants them to come out.”

The roads are blocked to Paris,

By Joffre and by French,

And sturdy British soldiers

Are ready in their trench.

The Germans fought for Calais;

And thousands bit the dust,

But we shan’t let them take it,

Tho’ mad William says “they must”.

Now, all cannot face the danger

Of the battle field today,

Our Braves must be supported,

Each one who can must pay.

Think of the homeless Belgians,

Without shelter, food, or rest,

So if our tea and beer be dear,

Why, try and get the best.

We must buy R. and W’s.,[2]

Their Ale’s the best produced,

And when this war is over,

The price must be reduced. – W.D.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 24 August 1915

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[1] Field Marshal Sir John French.

[2] Roberts & Wilson, brewers of Ivinghoe (taken over by Benskins in 1927). 

In Memory of a Good Soldier

Inside of In Memoriam card for the Unknown Warrior interred in 

Westminster Abbey 1920 [X498/191]

Monday 31st May 1915: Nurse Gertie Grimmer is still collecting entries in her Confessions Book. Alongside the question and answer “confessions” it now includes many autographs in the form of sketches, jokes, notes and poems. A particularly poignant poem titled “In Memory of a Good Soldier of Christ” has been added by Private A. Walker of the 7th East Surreys, written in loving memory of No.14194 Private George Brewer of the Bedford Regiment who was killed last week.[1]

A crescent moon enough to shed

Upon the field where lies our dead

A shimmering ghostly light to show

Where Britons heroes meet their foe.

What need to tell of clash and din

Of the deadly bayonet driven in

The shrieks and cries of those in pain

Of men becoming beasts again.

To see men fight and writhing die

And describe like Zola, I’ll not try

But when all’s over I could say

The best of mankind died today.

Ye British wives and Daughters too

Hold high your heads it was for you

Those heroes made their last advance

To find a grave “Somewhere in France”.

Source: Confessions Album of Gertie Grimmer [X391/498]

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[1] Private George Brewer, son of James Brewer of Church Hanborough, Woodstock, Oxfordshire was killed on 25th May 1915 when the 1st Battalion were in support near Hill 60. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial.