Poem by Canon H.D.Rawnsley dedicated to Noel Chavasse VC

[davidbohl]

I was browsing the Liverpool newspapers an found this poem by Canon H.D.Rawnsley printed on the 15th Aug 1917.

Interesting to see the original version.

Dave

 

 

[wandererpaul]

Here’s a similar poem by Canon H. D. Rawnsley. He was a local clergyman who must’ve known the family of the casualty Joshua Hardisty.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/524290/hardisty,-joshua/

To the Mother of Four Sons Gone to War

[Sergeant Joshua Hardisty M.M. 11th Battalion Border Regt., fell in action Nov. 18th; John Hardisty 1st Border Regt., fell in action July 30th, 1916. Two brothers, Harry and Walter, are still at the front.]

Mother of four sons gone to the war
Hark: how the stream mourns loud in the hollow
Two have fallen in fields afar
Two still the foemen follow.

Was it for this you reared each boy
In the calm of the dale and peace of the mountains
For this, their young hearts leapt with joy
And rush of Greenburn’s fountains.

For this that they borrowed strength of the hills
And freedom born of the torrent’s foaming,
The sycamore buds and the daffodils
And cuckoo’s call in the gloaming.

So nursed in their hearts the love of home,
That swift when they heard our England calling,
They answered. “O Mother we come, we come.”
Left painter’s work and walling.

For this, in defence of Grasmere vale
They topped the parapet, bombed the trenches
Endured the terrible shrapnel hail,
Blood, mud, and the battle-stenches.

For this, from the cottage beneath Helm-Crag
And not for the sake of a medal’s glory
They went to offer their lives for the Flag
And Honour’s ancient story ?

Weep not mother; rejoice with pride!
No more the stream mourns loud in the hollow
But it roars applause for the twain who died
And twain who the foemen follow.

 

 

Joshua Hardisty played for Brentford FC three times on trial before returning to the border area.

Edited 13 May , 2019 by wandererpaul

[johntaylor]

I'm sure you know this, but Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley was a celebrated conservationist who did a lot to preserve the Lake District, and is best known as one of the founders of the National Trust.  There's plenty about him on Wikipedia etc.  I wasn't aware of his war poetry, which is historically interesting and obviously heartfelt ... though that may be the best one can say about it.

 

John