Between the Lines of a Field Service Post Card

[Hawkman]

I am quite well.

I’ve trench-foot, lice and gangrene
and a bullet in the spleen,
shrapnel wounds aren’t nearly
so romantic, or so clean.

I have been admitted into hospital

The clearing station’s mainly tents
they’d best not charge me rent,
the shilling that they gave me
has long ago been spent.


{sick } and am going on well.
{wounded} and hope to be discharged soon.

Take your pick between the two
it’s luck if I come home to you.

I am being sent down to the base.

The safest place, or so I hear,
is somewhere near the general’s rear;
you never see him at the front,
it’s just as well, the useless …





{letter dated ___________I have received your {telegram ,, ___________




{parcel ,, ___________

A maily or a parcel’s nice
it’s not as if we get much spice
and when we do we’re bombed or gassed;
the gloves were good in snow and ice.

Letter follows at first opportunity.

Chances are you’ll get the one
I write the night the push is on.
Maybe you will get another,
if not, take up with me brother.

I have received no letter from you

{lately
{for a long time.

Marching up and down the line
the post is always left behind.

Signature }
only }

Tommy Atkins.

[cafolini]

Good old British M*A*S*H. Pretty good.

[AuntShecky]

Effective display of the lines a doughboy would actually write to his loved one, counterpointed by what he actually means "between the lines." You have such an active imagination, one would swear that you've been reincarnated or else "channeling" someone who actually served on the front lines in France.

[Hawkman]

cafolini: Wizzbangs and M*A*S*H - now there's a feast for the imagination. :D

Hi Auntie,

Actually, the soldier had no choice in what he was permitted to write, under certain circumstances anyway. The italicised lines were/are preprinted on The Field Service Post Card. With my copy of the Field Service Pocket Book (inherited from my Grandfather) came a handful of these postcards, still tucked into the cover. Any Digression from the format would result in the card being destroyed by the censor. The censor traditionally wielded a blue pencil to expunge sensitive information which might be revealed in the soldiers' letters home. It is to reference this that the text between the lines is blue. I've tried to keep the official lines as close to the original format of the postcard as the posting options allow.

I think the griping, gallows humour of the squaddie, remains pretty much the same, even today.

Live long and prosper - H

[Buh4Bee]

Without the explanation, it remains an interesting piece. However, the historical background makes it more interesting. You do a nice job giving voice to the soldier suffering and unable to share this with his loved ones.

These lines convey the depth of a wounded soldier's experience:
Take your pick between the two
it’s luck if I come home to you.

Although there is a good deal of humor to elevate the mood!

The safest place, or so I hear,
is somewhere near the general’s rear;
you never see him at the front,
it’s just as well, the useless …

An unusual and informative piece. Thank you for sharing and much enjoyed!

[Hawkman]

Thanks B4B. There are a lot of uniforms in my family's past and I grew up with the soldiers songs from WW1 ringing in my ears. They were largely popularised in later years by the stage show and film, "Oh What a Lovely War" (only they had to be cleaned up a bit). Maybe this is why you feel the poem has a knot of authenticity. (by the way, there is a website which provides the song lyrics of many of these, but the link is saved on my other computer. You could try searching for it though. Some of them have been recorded and can be played online.)

I'm delighted that you found the historical background interesting and that you enjoyed the poem.

Live and be well - H

[Haunted]

Without the background I wouldn't have appreciated it as much as I did. Wow. It speaks as much about censorship as the reality of war, where a man's life is boiled down to just 5 or 6 senarios. The dark humor makes it even more chilling. Bravo.

[Hawkman]

Thanks Haunted. Glad it worked for you. :)

Live and be well - H