A poet at the Sambre Canal 4th November 1918

[Jim Hastings]

Although the Sambre Canal and 4th November 1918 are commonly associated with the death of Wilfred Owen, fighting here this day also prompted another veteran to write a poem

The attack on the Sambre Canal

By G/17582 Pte Walter (‘Josh’) Ernest GROVER MM, Lewis Gunner, 2^nd Bn. Royal Sussex Regiment (written in the 1980s, from IWM interview 10441 (1988)) http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80010219

The flickering beams of the dying embers,
The glowing tips of cigarettes,
The beating rain on helmets’ steel, and ground sheets glistening;
We await the morn.
For some will never see another.
The victims? Who can tell?
Come the dawn, we attack the Sambre Canal.
In silent groups we stand and ponder
Can our luck hold out much longer?
Is our name on shot or shell?
Shall we live to tell the tale, how we survived?
For me, the attack is number five*.

At battle station we're assembling
The first grey streaks of dawn appearing,
For 'Zero' hour is fast approaching
The rain and mist are fast clearing.
In true perspective we see and dread
The awesome task which lies ahead,
For we know well what lies behind the tree-lined banks of the Sambre Canal.

The barrage opens, screaming shells, machine-guns chattering,
Across the open ground we're streaming,
The awful truth before our eyes
The Reaper's busy with his scythe.
We reach the lock, but cannot cross,
The bridging boards were all too short.
Again we try! The boards renewed, now replaced by a gallant few
Who gave their lives and went through hell
That we might cross the Sambre Canal.

Now we're across; the strong point captured,
The crisis over, resistance ceases, the Reaper sheathes his scythe.
It is true, this eerie silence; are we still alive?
The day is drawing to its close and all objectives carried.
We rest and clean the 'Lewis Gun', but, had we known,
We wouldn't have troubled,
For a bullet meant for one of us
Was embedded in the barrel,**

We have survived; the war is over,
And we a tale can tell
How death, the Reaper, reaped his harvest
At the crossing of the Sambre Canal.

*’Josh’ Grover went ‘Over The Top’ in the attack on Wood Lane Trench, High Wood, 9^th September 1916; High Wood, from Starfish Line to German positions before Prue Trench, 26^th/27^th September, these two confirmed in his interview, the other two believed to be during the ‘100 Days’, 18^th September 1918 at Vandencourt and 24^th September 1918 at Gricourt.

** True story, listen to interview part 5

Apologies, this poem has been copied from the IWM audio interview, so I am not sure if the stanza structure is as intended, I have divided the poem up by ‘time’ incident.

In memory of all those who lost their lives this day 95 years ago in the operations to cross the Sambre Canal

Cheers Jim

[Fred van Woerkom]

Jim,

What a delicht to hear of Josh again ! 25 Years ago I interviewed him in Ypres for the Dutch WFA and a couple of years I looked him up at his tiny house. The interview was recorded by one of our members who is, sadly, no longer with us.

He wrote amusing little poems as well, did Josh.

I'll try and find the text in the booklet he gave me. It may ne some time before I can find it.

Is the IWM interview available to the public, outside the IWM?

All the best,

Fred

[Jim Hastings]

Hi Fred,

How wonderful, I would have loved to have met Josh! It would be great to see what he said in your interview! His IWM interview is available in this link http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80010219 which you should be able to listen to. I have thought about writing it up ... if I ever get the time ... as it is a gem. Know Peter Hart used parts of it, including the Sambre Canal section, for his 1918 book.

Would really appreciate any words of Josh's you could share with us whenever you get the opportunity

Many thanks

Jim

[Fred van Woerkom]

Jim,

I haven't found Josh's booklet yet. I must have it somewhere but as it is a slim volume in paperback, it is easy to overlook it.

As soon as I find it, I will tell you off forum.

For the Dutch WFA periodical I have discusses 2 or 3 of his poems.

All the best,

Fred

[Fred van Woerkom]

Jim,

I haven't found the booklet yet but I'll keep on searching .I remember Josh or his daughter showing me a picture of the bridge over the Sambre canal.

Now that I've read the poem again, I remember that this was the first poem that I discussed for the WFA periodical in the Netherlands and that was the time before I used a computer some dozen years ago. So now I'm looking for two things: the poem and my discussion of it.

All the best,

Fred

[Jim Hastings]

Hi Fred,

Thanks for looking, would love to read your discussion on it

Drop me a PM with your email, have some stuff you may like to see

All the best

Jim

[MichaelBully]

What a find Jim. Thanks for posting. I think that the Wilfred Owen Association might be particularly interested in this. I will PM message you. Regards, Michael Bully

[Jim Hastings]

Will do Michael, many thanks; sure with your interest in WW1 poetry that Fred may be an ideal forum member to touch base with

All the best

Jim