Muerrisch Posted 26 June , 2003 Share Posted 26 June , 2003 Not sure in which section 'Christmas Truce' belongs. Here goes. 2Lt Mervyn S Richardson 2RWF was reputed to have written a poem on his experiences in No Man's land Christmas Day 1914. Events documented in 'The War The Infantry Knew', 'Old Soldiers Never Die', 'Regimental Records RWF' etc. Poem reputed to be in 'The Times' or 'The Morning Post' [predecessor of 'Telegraph']. Searched both, from 25 Dec 1914 for one month forward. Eyes like the proverbial after the search. Please, does anyone know of the poem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lynsey1 Posted 26 June , 2003 Share Posted 26 June , 2003 Christine,dont know if this is what you are looking for but you can buy a copy of old soldiers never die by frank richards from the welch fusiliers museum, the castle, caernarfon, ll55 2ay £9.95 plus p&p lynsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 27 June , 2003 Share Posted 27 June , 2003 Don't know the answer, but the chap to contact at the address given by Lynsey is Lt. Col. Peter Crocker (Ret'd). He's a very nice* and knowledgeable chap who will probably be able to answer your question. Andrew (*If I visit the RWF archives in the summer he's so desperate to sneak off and watch the cricket that he allows a liberal use of the photocopier to speed up my mission!! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 27 June , 2003 Author Share Posted 27 June , 2003 Thanks to correspondents so far ..... I said it was difficult! The Curator RWF Museum, Lt Col Peter Crocker RWF [Rtd] would be as grateful as I am if the poem could be found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 29 June , 2003 Share Posted 29 June , 2003 I don't know whether this is relevant to the original posting, but there is a 'spoof' version of a poem about the Christmas Truce in Punch on January 13th 1915, called "'Punch' in the Enemy's Trenches". The dedication before the poem reads: "To the officer whose letter, reproduced in the Daily Telegraph, after reporting the irregular exchange of Christmans gifts between our men and the enemy, goes on to say:- 'In order to put a stop to a situation which was proving impossible, I went out myself after a time with a copy of 'Punch', which I presented to a dingy Saxon in exchange for a small packet of excellent cigars and cigarettes." Regards - Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 29 June , 2003 Share Posted 29 June , 2003 Is this what you are looking for: No stir of wings sweeps softly by No angel comes with blinding light Beneath the wild & wintry sky No shepherds watch their flocks tonight In the dull thunder of the wind We hear the cruel guns afar But in the glowering heavens we find No guiding solitary star But lo on this our Lord's birthday Lit by the glory whence she came Peace, like a warrior, stands at bay A swift defiant living flame! There are an other 4 verses. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 30 June , 2003 Author Share Posted 30 June , 2003 Just when I thought the trail had gone cold, two exciting posts, thank you Sue L. and Ian. Please, where did the quoted poem come from, and may we see the rest of it? If it was by Mervyn Richardson [a genuine hero to his colleagues, his men, Robert Graves, and, I have to add, me] then I have a great deal of material on him if this rings a bell for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 2 July , 2003 Author Share Posted 2 July , 2003 I now have a complete copy of the 'Punch' poem, kindly e-mailed by Sue L. I would be most grateful to learn a little more on the Ian Bowbrick version, please. As the Sue L. one is clearly not by MS Richardson, the other one might just be [how many chaps were writing poems on that subject around New Year 1915? Not many!] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 2 July , 2003 Share Posted 2 July , 2003 David, Thanks for your post - I am actually in Moscow today & tomorrow - so if you can wait till the end of the week? Nastrovia - Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 2 July , 2003 Author Share Posted 2 July , 2003 That's clever, how do you do that, e-mail from Moscow? We Luddites have a lot of catching up to do. Having waited 10 years, another few days will do no harm. Thank you for your interest. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hywyn Posted 26 November , 2006 Share Posted 26 November , 2006 I'm bringing up an old thread having found it whilst 'surfing' the Forum. I did a Google search on a line from the poem supplied by Ian and found that, by today, the whole Mr Punch's History of the Great War is avilable to read online ( or even download I think) Thought that people might like to see it. http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/rea...14&pageno=1 Hywyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 26 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 26 November , 2006 Thanks for that. I suppose we will never be able to connect a specific poem to young Richardson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie Posted 26 November , 2006 Share Posted 26 November , 2006 http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/trenches.htm Mr Richardson, a young officer who had just joined the Battalion and was now a platoon officer in my company wrote a poem during the night about the Briton and the Bosche meeting in no-man's-land on Christmas Day, which he read out to us. A few days later it was published in The Times or Morning Post, I believe. Cheers kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 26 November , 2006 Share Posted 26 November , 2006 Having waited 10 years, another few days will do no harm. Thank you for your interest. David Just wondered if you ever got the full poem, etc as indicated? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 28 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 28 November , 2006 No, I fear not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie Posted 28 November , 2006 Share Posted 28 November , 2006 I know you said you checked the papers, but have you contacted the papers offices to see if they have it archived somewhere? Cheers Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter__m Posted 28 November , 2006 Share Posted 28 November , 2006 So interesting. Thanks for these posts. I'm researching the Royal Irish Rifles. I wonder did they have any poets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now