Gloucestershire Friends: Poems From a German Prison Camp

In this modest yet resonant volume, a Gloucestershire lieutenant offers a series of short lyric poems composed while he was held in a German prison camp during the Great War. The verses capture the sharp contrast between the bleakness of captivity and the vivid recollections of his home—its gardens, birds, and familiar faces. Through simple language and striking imagery, the poet conveys a blend of tenderness, humor, and a fierce undercurrent of anger.

Readers will hear the plaintive yearning of a soldier separated from his mother, the quiet strength of faith, and the stubborn hope that sustains him day by day. The collection includes two powerful ballades on war and a memorable piece titled “The Bugler,” which grip the listener with their emotional intensity. Though written in confinement, the poems retain a natural, bird‑like cadence that reminds us of the enduring spirit of those who love their country and their loved ones.