Poet - Eileen Newton lived during the First World War and wrote about her experiences. Two of her most well-known poems are 'Last Leave' and 'Revision (For November 11th)', both about the First World War. She is best known for writing the lyrics for 'Somewhere A Voice Is Calling' with the composer Arthur Frank Tate, published in 1911.
Poem - Last Leave
Last Leave
Let us forget tomorrow! For tonight
At least, with curtains drawn, and driftwood piled
On our own hearthstone, we may rest, and see
The firelight flickering on familiar walls.
(How the blue flames leap when an ember falls!)
Peace, and content, and soul-security—
These are within. Without, the waste is wild
With storm-clouds sweeping by in furious flight,
And ceaseless beating of autumnal rain
Upon our window pane.
The dusk grows deeper now, the flames are low:
We do not heed the shadows, you and I,
Nor fear the grey wings of encroaching gloom,
So softly they enfold us. One last gleam
Flashes and flits, elusive as a dream,
And then dies out upon the darkened room.
So, even so, our earthly fires must die;
Yet, in our hearts, love's flame shall leap and glow
When this dear night, with all it means to me,
Is but a memory!
Painting
Bernard Meninsky in his painting ‘The Arrival of a Leave Train, Victoria Station, 1918', commissioned by the Ministry of Information as part of a series entitled ‘Victoria Station, District Railway'. Bernard Meninsky, who had previously served as a private in the Royal Fusiliers, painted scenes during and after the arrival of leave trains. In his painting the soldiers pass from light into darkness as they say farewell on their way to the platform and their train.
Leave
Leave was at the discretion of the commanding officer of a unit. For other ranks, it depended on the available manpower and to a certain extent on the soldier’s service record. There was no fixed criteria for home leave until 1917 and it was not unusual for two years to have elapsed before a leave was granted. Denial of home leave was used as a punishment against soldier’s who transgressed. Leave was given for a fixed number of days, it could be as little as five days, and transport was by train and boat which was free. The amount of leave allotted to each man included travel to and from their home so, five days to a solider who came from Falkirk was not a lot of time.
Lance Sergeant William Dickson, from Slamannan, received 10 days home leave from 18 to 28 July 1917. William was killed in action on 4 October 1917. HIs last leave.
Getting to and from the front line, if that is were the man was at the time of being granted leave, could be time consuming. As for Officers, they seem to have received a more generous leave entitlement. It should also be noted that the man took on leave with him his kit and rifle, minus ammunition. This was because the soldier’s unit may have moved during his leave and the unit had no spare capacity for storing kit and equipment. The man’s kit bag would not just contain his kit but also souvenirs he had gathered and these included such items as fuse caps, German forage caps, pickelhaubes helmets, and occasionally more deadly items.
Notes
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