 | The Collected Poems of T. W. H. Crosland |  |
102
John Travers Cornwell
“Boy (first class) John Travers Cornwell, of Chester, was
mortally wounded early in the action. He nevertheless
remained standing alone at a most exposed post quietly
awaiting orders till the end of the action, with the gun's crew
dead and wounded all round him.”
—Admiral Beatty
Mortally hurt, alone he stood,
England, in thy great fortitude.
England, in thy great fortitude.
While his spent shipmates round him lay
He held on in thine ancient way—
He held on in thine ancient way—
A stripling with the veteran eye
For the hard front of destiny.
For the hard front of destiny.
Effacing Time shall not destroy
The memory of this, thy boy.
The memory of this, thy boy.
103
On his young head the glory falls,
As on the lordliest admirals;
As on the lordliest admirals;
Fate sets his name in honour grim
And even Death is proud of him.
And even Death is proud of him.
| The Collected Poems of T. W. H. Crosland | |