A wonderful poem posted on the Facebook Group Cemeteries and Memorials of the Great War by Dave Barlee, on 26 June 2023
“Daisy penned this poem in September 1914 to my grandfather, William John Jones, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards:
“To W.J.J.”
When across the foaming billows
To a near, but foreign shore
When with all equipment laden
You are marching off to war :-
N’ere forget that one is thinking
Thinking of you far away
Praying that from midst wars rampant
Safely you’ll return one day
x x x x x x
When you are in the midst of dangers
And around you comrades fall
When with still undaunted courage
You are answering duty’s call
Think that there’s one in England
Who doth for you wait, and pray
That through all encircling dangers
Safely you’ll return one day
x x x x x x
When the war at last is ended
And the longed for reign of peace
Over- throws his welcome mantle
And the noise of battles cease:-
Even then shall one be thinking
Thinking of you day by day
Counting how long you’ll be coming
From the war field far away
x x x x x x
 |
| A poem from Daisy's notebook in her own handwriting |
Born Daisy Minnie Hannah Cook in Epsom in 1895, when Daisy left school she went into service. She was 19 when she wrote to William John Jones, who had been called back to the colours at the start of the war. I’m not sure where she met him as he was from Neath in South Wales. I presume it must have been when he was in the London area when he joined the Grenadier Guards.
William had served his time by 1916 and was discharged and continued with his job as a steel worker. They moved to Deeside, Flinshire, North Wales. After the death of William, Daisy remarried and became Daisy Thomas. She died in Flintshire in 1980.
Grandmother was fantastic with her hands and made lace and could do macrame and tatting and was a seamstress too. As I said - a clever lady!
She wrote quite a lot of poetry in her younger days. The above poems are related to the Great War.”
Additional information:
We find Daisy, married to William John Jones, living in Flintshire, Wales. By then the couple had a son – Elwyn Idris - and a daughter – Glenys May.
Original source:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1609379815967794/posts/3439766769595747/?comment_id=3439806112925146¬if_id=1687776804567816¬if_t=group_comment_mentionFacebook Group Cemeteries and Memorials of the Great War
You can find out more about the importance of cigarettes for the troops fighting on the various Fronts during WW1 here:
https://blog.maryevans.com/2013/11/smokes-for-tommy-cigarettes-and-the-british-soldier-ww1.html
