Henry Reed, The Naming of Parts.

This poem has always really stuck in my memory, war poetry is very emotive.

I. NAMING OF PARTS

To-day we have naming of parts. Yesterday,
We had daily cleaning. And to-morrow morning,
We shall have what to do after firing. But to-day,
To-day we have naming of parts. Japonica
Glistens like coral in all of the neighboring gardens,
And to-day we have naming of parts.

This is the lower sling swivel. And this
Is the upper sling swivel, whose use you will see,
When you are given your slings. And this is the piling swivel,
Which in your case you have not got. The branches
Hold in the gardens their silent, eloquent gestures,
Which in our case we have not got.

This is the safety-catch, which is always released
With an easy flick of the thumb. And please do not let me
See anyone using his finger. You can do it quite easy
If you have any strength in your thumb. The blossoms
Are fragile and motionless, never letting anyone see
Any of them using their finger.

And this you can see is the bolt. The purpose of this
Is to open the breech, as you see. We can slide it
Rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this
Easing the spring. And rapidly backwards and forwards
The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers:
They call it easing the Spring.

They call it easing the Spring: it is perfectly easy
If you have any strength in your thumb: like the bolt,
And the breech, and the cocking-piece, and the point of balance,
Which in our case we have not got; and the almond-blossom
Silent in all of the gardens and the bees going backwards and forwards,
For to-day we have naming of parts.

Survivors

Ivor is a wonderful gentleman, who has a ready smile and a joke for all he meets. He is a real survivor, badly injured by srapnel fighting in WW2, he was captured and then taken to a POW camp. Towards the end, an even more desperate struggle for survival by the hundreds of thousands of allied POW’s held in Nazi Germany during the final months of the war. As the Nazi world collapsed around them, Nazi SS in desperation began to move their prisoners (American, British, and many other nationalities) deeper into Germany to stop their liberation, retaining them as hostages, against their own uncertain future. These moves were often death marches taken on foot in severe winter conditions with insufficient food, and no winter clothing. During 'The Long March', many of his fellow prisoners died, Ivor himself still suffers from the frostbite to his face, ears and feet and hands, Yet he is a grateful survivor. He has two sons and grand children.

Above he is pictured with his much loved border collie dog 'Ross'.

Ross has, since this photo was taken, sadly passed on.