Poems & Poets from the Great War at Sea & World War II
On 27th February 1918 , 21 year old Royal Naval Air Service Commander Miles Jeffrey Game Day was shot down over the North Sea by enemy fighters. His commanding officer reported that his plane landed on the water but his body was never found. In 1919 an anthology of his work ‘Poems and Rhymes’ , …
In the early hours of 23rd April 1918 Lieutenant Edward Hilton Young (1879- 1960) . was serving on board the HMS Vindictive as a gunnery officer : This 1897 built cruiser was to launch a diversionary attack on the harbour wall known as the Mole, whilst three old ships were to be deliberatly sunk at …
Continue reading “At The Gate – Edward Hilton Young and The Zeebrugge Raid 1918”
On the 6th January 1917 the SS Mendi set sail from Cape Town to Le Havre, carrying 805 members of the Native South African Labour Corps to Le Havre. The ship was rammed off the Isle of Wight in severe mist by SS Darro on 21st February 1917, a vessel over twice the side of …
Continue reading “Loss of the SS Mendi – 21st February 1917”
“No stone is set to mark his nation’s loss, No stately tomb enshrines his noble breast, Not e’en the tribute of a wooden cross Can mark this hero’s rest.” A school boy by the name of Eric Blair wrote these lines in memory of Lord Kitchener, Secretary of State of War, who drowned when the …
Continue reading “Lord Kitchener and the loss of the HMS Hampshire”
‘On the afternoon of Wednesday 31st May a naval engagement took place off the coast of Jutland. The British ships on which the brunt of the fighting fell were the Battlecriuser Fleet supported by four fast battleships.’ Admiralty communique of 2nd June 1916 The 98th anniversary of the Battle of Jutland/Skagerrackschlacht has just passed without …
I first noticed Charles Causley’s work featured in ‘ ‘The War at Sea’ edited by John Winton; part of the ‘Freedom’s Battle’ series , (1967) . A largely prose history featuring some poetry, about World War 2. Causley’s life apart from his war service, was spent in Launceston,Cornwall, where he was a school teacher. .He was …
Stand still! Stand Still! Ye leaping waves And mourn along with me For a gallant ship has crossed the bar Of the great eternal sea: A flash, a roar, a blood red flame, Then a huge overwhelming cloud, And a thousand soles ( sic) are wrapped within The ocean’s winding shroud. Ten thousand doors do …
Chose for her helm more fair than fame A spotless record to her ancient name Her compass that which varied not not swerved Lit by a loyalty that never failed Shone high tradition when the Vanguards sailed So sailing, found the haven of their quest, Where they are glad, because they are at rest She …
What far faint sea-winds passed into their soul, What glimmer of dim-seen waves, and sting of spume And low lone wash of waters through soft gloom ! Desire went sea-ward to the sea’s control When all the world was young. . . . Then lo ! the roll Of battle-thunder crashed with echoing boom Across …
Continue reading “Dead Sailor Boys by Constance Ann Renshaw”