PLUCK
World War One , a war that ended The Romance of war , or did it? Thousands , hundreds of thousands of underage '' boys '' , volunteered , and died in there thousands. Young woman , as the age of being an adult 21 at the time. During research I came across a local lad. At 14 and six he tryde to join the Royal Navy. But was rejected. Still determind '' to do is duty for God , King and the Empire. So he joined the army , he was 14 and 6 months! He servde in France saw took part in many battles. His father wrote off to the war office and he was discharge. On his return he got a job in an armaments factory , it was well paid , he talked his dad , in to joining him. Shortly after starting work , the fathr was killd in an explosion. The son survived. Applyed to join the Royal Navey and the son survived the war.Many girls aged under 21 served , 21 was the age of reaching adulthood at the time as nursers on during the war. Became '' adults '' very all to soon. Hear is a poem written by one such nurse. Eva Dobell , served in many hospitals during World War One. She wrote poetry poetry about those she nursed.So many of them died as she held there hands as they died. Calling her , mother , '' so sorry mother '' , they many said as they died. Hear is one of her poems:
Pluck
Crippled for life at seventeen ,
His great eyes seems to question why :
With both legs smashed it might have been
Better in that grim trench to die
Than drag maimed years out helplessly
A child - so wasted and so white ,
He told a lie to get his way ,
To march a man with men , and fight
While other boys are still at play.
A gallant lie your hart will say.
So broke with pain , he shrinks in dread
To see the ' dresser ' drawing near ;
And winds the cloths about his head
That none may see his heart-sick fear.
His shaking , strangled sobs you hear.
But when the dreaded moment's there
He'll face us all , a soldier yet ,
Watch his bared wounds with unmoved air
( Though tell-tale lashes still wet ) ,
And smoke his Woodbine cigarette.
Nurse Eva Dobell
Poetry by ken d williams
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Written on 2013-06-27 at 16:19
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