Archives inspire young poets

In April 2006, the education staff of the National Archives of Scotland (NAS) entered into a new partnership with the Scottish Poetry Library (SPL) to offer joint creative writing workshops for schools. Drawing on our exhibition at the time, 'Leaving it all behind: an exhibition of Scottish soldiers' and airmen's wills, 1857-1966', we organised a series of workshops with a group of 15 year old pupils from Boroughmuir High School in Edinburgh and set the pupils the task of writing their own war poems.

The formal records on display, often quite short and hastily written, contain the last documented words of many Scottish servicemen who gave their lives in defence of their country. In many cases the wills took the form of moving letters, and some were accompanied by poems and prayers.

This was an exciting project for all concerned. It gave the NAS the opportunity to promote the use of archives to support the teaching of English. Colleagues from the Poetry Library were amazed by the depth and range of material we hold and now recognise the potential for developing further joint projects with archives.

As for the teachers and pupils, this was their first visit to an archive, their first experience of studying original documents and photographs from two world wars, and their first experience of working with a ‘real’ poet.

Ken Cockburn, commissioned by the SPL, was the poet. He guided the pupils through the exhibition, asked them to select a particular serviceman and take notes about his life and death and followed this up with a discussion about their feelings and reactions to the often heartrending words and images. Ken then led the pupils gently through the skill and art of writing poetry. He gave them the option of writing their own free poem or to write three short verses, each in a different voice giving a different perspective on their chosen serviceman.

Here is their finished work:

(Dear Margaret, by Becki Cutler)

(William Dick by Jillian Hood)

(Private William Dick by Amy McMillan)

(In memory of Thomas Murray, 9th Bn, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) by Ross Minty)

("...and there is no chance of getting home again..." by Mario Cariello)

(Death on a Japanese POW Camp, 1943 by Melissa Steel)

(The Second World War by Jack)

This is part of the will of Private William Dick, who died from his wounds in France on 20 July 1916 (NAS ref. SC70/8/278). This will inspired the first three poems which were written by Becki, Jillian and Amy.

Dear Margaret,

He was brave in those last few days.
He knew he was dying.
He just wanted to see his children,
That's all he talked about.
It was hard informing his family of his death.

Private William Dick
12779 Scots Guards
Courageously gave his life for King
and Country.
He died on the battlefields of France
after catching an infection from
shrapnel wounds in the leg.

Will I ever see my wee girls again?
My decision was the wrong one.
I should never have signed up.
The war will be over soon, they say,
In time for Phyllis's birthday.

Becki Cutler


William Dick

I just signed up today.
I felt it my place to fight for my country.
Mags isn't too happy about the whole shebang
But it's just something I have to do.
I hope I don't miss out on too much...

Private William Dick 12779 Scots Guard
Lost his life on 20th July 1916
after catching an infection caused by a shell
fragment in his leg.
Enclosed with this letter a medal awarded
for bravery.

My best friend - my husband
A fantastic father and a brave soldier
He was so happy before the Germans stole him away
He missed so much of the children's life
I'd give anything for him to be here now
My William.

Jillian Hood

Private William Dick

The nurse keeps wiping some sort of cotton on
my leg.
I have to beat this infection though.
I promised Margaret I would come home
and I'll treat my little angels to ice-cream.
I want to get back out on the Front Line first
I want to make everyone proud.

Private William Dick, Scots Guards, 12779,
Due to an infection in the leg
lost his life on 20th June 1916.
A brave man courageously giving his life for
King and Country.

He was my friend, and a brave lad.
Proud to have known him.
Most things he said were a pack of lies
But he could cheer anyone up.
I wish I had been there at his side when it
happened.
His poor family.

Amy McMillan

In memory of Thomas Murray, 9th Bn, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

Thomas Murray was a brave man,
He had known Glasgow like the back of his hand,
His wife still remembers him leaving for France, with his rucksack.
But Private Thomas Murray of the 9th BN Cameronians would never return.

On the 13th May, 1915,
Private Thomas Murray of the 9th BN Cameronians
Was killed in action at the Battle of the Somme.
The means of his death are unknown.

I approached the recruitment office.
I know it may be dangerous,
Yet I will fight for freedom.
I am prepared to die for our freedom.
I now take my last look at Glasgow for a while.
Maybe forever.

To France we go
Me and me pals of the 9th,
to fight
to die
to live.

Tell me mum not to worry,
If I live do not rejoice,
If I die do not mourn,
Tell me mum not to worry.

I'm hit.
Going down.
Soon I'll have gone west.
Yet God look after Margaret,
Help her recover, help her live,
O God, please look after her.

Ross Minty


"... and there is no chance of getting home again.."

Private RAL Purves wis m'name.
Wis enlisted in the Royal Scots regiment.
And knew it would never be the same.
Nothin' like my East Lothian tenement,
or the mirrored grievances of a law clerk.
... and there is no chance of getting home again...

As I discover I am no man of war
I see my existence as a dismembered dream.
The shattered splinters of a stimulating kaleidoscopic door,
Torn away from my family, but held in high esteem,
Yet still I continue to flow downstream
... and I reckon there is no chance of getting home again...

Shot m'self the day.
Lettin' all m'emotions run dry like the Ganhai Sea.
Though it may have been a pusillanimous way,
I've finally confronted m'fears with undignified glee.
So I leave for you now my last and final letter
... and I know there is no chance of getting home again...
AGAIN!

Mario Cariello

This is part of the will of Robert Purves (NAS ref. SC70/8/418/2), which inspired Mario's poem.




Death on a Japanese POW Camp, 1943

It's funny, I swear there was blood on the paper.
His will was in another's writing.
They say horrible things about these Japanese camps.
They say he was weak from all the fighting.
Now, I will never see him again, not now, not later.
Funny, because of that I don't like thinking.

James Arthur McWilliam Bain, 32,
17 Ramsted Gardens, Greenock, Scotland,
Succumbed to his injuries on 2nd April, 1943,
In Haito Prisoner of War Camp, Japan.
Estate and belongings left to his wife, Mary-Lou.
Money to be distributed as she sees fit.

There's blood,
There's blood on the paper.
Apologise to Mary for not giving her the best life I could,
And for going to the dangerous Front Line.
My only regret is marrying her, my rosebud,
because now she's going to be a widow before her time.
The blood's on their hands, mate,
The blood is on their hands.

Melissa Steel

Melissa SteelMelissa's poem was inspired by the will of James Bain part of which is shown below (NAS ref. SC70/8/1334/512)



The Second World War

It was about lunchtime when they attacked.
I had just got tucked into a fantastic sandwich
when we heard the sirens
everyone ran for their gear.
I still had my sandwich.

The boys up front
were shred by the Germans' fire,
Coming over the sand dune
Was the sound of Panzer tanks,
That's where my crew came in.

Jack

You can find out more about these wills by reading our guide to soldiers' and airmen's wills, you can search our online catalogue for soldiers' or airmen's wills or visit our search rooms where an index to the wills and some images are available.