War Cry.
Fortune or choice deemed as soldiers brave lads,
who from some woman\'s
love went willingly blind into war.
Regard for orders meant coping with raucous
battleground noise
no quiet youngster encountered before.
Taught self respect as important first-need still
wet behind ears boys
wore their badge with uniformed pride.
Esteem left ranks when hell-stained shell shock
saw gunned youth stumble,
as zeal keeled over and myriads died.
Many were mothers or sweethearts lamenting
the smiling good-byes
female hands of devotion had waved.
Into inferno their willing lads eagerly walked
to meet burnt fields that
caught and never returned them again.
May we remember lest we forget.