Found by Andrew Mackay who very kindly sent me a copy of T.B. Clark’s collection“Rhymes of Two Regiments: A Souvenir of the Trenches” (William Nicholson & Sons Ltd., London & Wakefield).
T.B. Clark served as a Rifleman with the King’s Royal Rifle Brigade in France and Salonika during the First World War. I cannot find out anything about him, other than the fact that he was a very prolific poet. He has a large entry listing his WW1 poems – most of which were printed as broadsides - in Catherine W. Reilly’s “English Poetry of the First World War: A Bibliography” (St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1978), pp. 85 – 87. If anyone can help find more about T.B. Clark, please get in touch
Here is one of T.B. Clark’s poems from his collection “Rhymes of two Regiments: A Souvenir of the Trenches” (William Nicholson & Sons, Ltd., London and Wakefield – 7th impression):
“The K.R.R.E.’s.” by Rifleman T.B. Clark, K.R.R.
(With apologies to Sergt. Burley and Corpl. Lovell.)
(Composed in the Trenches at Armentieres, July 1915.)
THIS is the K.R.R.E. Mob, never hard up for a job,
Working early, working late, never known to put on weight ;
In the trenches every day, you will hear the Sergeant say –
“Bandolier and Rifle quick, get a shovel and a pick.”
Every morning, very early, you’ll discover Sergeant Burley,
While your bit of bacon’s cooking, for a working party looking,
“Get a pick and get a shovel, go along with Corporal Lovell,
Go and pick, and spade, and delve, you will be relieved at twelve.”
When the Germans you have strated, go and do your three hours’ graft,
If you did not know before, you’re the K.R.R.E. Corps,
And you never joined to fight, but to work with all your might ;
With your breakfast still uneaten, you must work till you’re dead beaten,
For they do not stop for trifles in the K.R.R.E. Rifles.
In an explanatory note included with a poem entitled “The Strafing Section”, the poet explains: “The word “strafe” is used in Tommy’s vocabulary to indicate any form of attack.”
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| Cap Badge of King's Royal Rifle Corps |
A bandolier is a shoulder belt with loops or pockets for cartridges.
Broadsides were single sheets of paper printed on one side only. They were chiefly textual rather than pictorial and were printed to be read unfolded and posted up in public places. At first they were used for the printing of royal proclamations and official notices. Uses of the word date from the 16th century. In size most broadsides ranged from approximately 13" x 16" ("foolscap" size) to over 5 feet in length.
According to Reilly, part of the profit of the sale of T.B. Clark’s collection “Poems of a private: a souvenir o f France and Salonika” (William Nicholson & Sons, Ltd., London) was for St. Dunstan’s Hostel for Blinded Soldiers and Sailors (now Blind Veterans UK).
St Dunstan’s charity was founded in 1915 by publisher and newspaper owner Sir Arthur Pearson. Sir Arthur - who was blind - in order to help the large number of veterans who lost their sight during the First World War.
Originally called the Blinded Soldiers and Sailors Care Committee, the charity soon became known as St Dunstan’s, which was the name of the first headquarters in Regent’s Park, central London.
https://www.blindveterans.org.uk/about-us/who-we-are/our-history/
