Nelson went to battle,
Against the French one day,
And saw three ships a coming
Right along his way.
“Fetch my Red Coat Hardy,
So that if I get a wound,
The blood won’t show upon me
And ship’s company will stay sound”.
He beat those damned bad Frenchies
And sent his coat below,
Then sailed across the sea
In wind and rain and snow.
Another group of French ships,
Total thirty so it seemed,
And Hardy brought the coat again
Duly pressed and smart and cleaned.
Once more he saw the Frenchies off
With cunning, guile and power,
To him there’s no way he’d give in
To that Gallic speaking shower.
Then across the horizon did he see
Three hundred ships bear down.
So again he called to Hardy;
“Fetch my trousers coloured brown!”