Not mine....does it have to be? Poem by a Survivor of the RFA Sir Galahad Today is bright Today I fight Two birds swoop down in parity And turn my nightmares into reality The struggle inside Is a struggle to hide I feel like running When I see them burning Do I run or do I fight Is this day really that bright? Out of the smoke comes my mucker I warned him the stupid ****er Indisition disappears Along with all my fears Seeing him in pain Hurts deep in my brain So I do my best To ease his rest Then comes another I was friends with his brother Dazed and confused with a bloody head I help him to safety, but think this poor blokes dead A scream I did hear From an officer with apparently no fear But he was there, and I am here Go inside and help them out Were the words I heard him shout As I near the entrance my feelings are mixed On the smoke my eyes are transfixed I try to prepare my mind trying to avoid a fright When out comes this bloke with his back alight Stand still stand still we shout as we try to put the flames out So many coming out And I have to go in But an order I'd been given Surely this is some kind of sin ? So in I go What I'll find I do not know The thick black smoke bellows out When suddenly I hear a shout I turn and see a sergeant kneeling on the floor Guardsman come here and help me with this door I was acting on impulse and went to his aid Even though inside I was still afraid The thought of drowning was still in my head As I helped to pull this young man from the dead Then to the stairs I had to go The ones I had walked up not so long ago Thick black smoke and a smell of pork Oh my god!!!! Thats some poor bloke Screams I can hear Then again comes the fear Do I run or do I fight? This one is going to take all my might I could not see six inches in front me I knew if I went down Then with the ship I would drown When to my right Came the saviour of my plight A scream for help was something I could not ignore So I helped him to get to what was left of the door Thats it thats it theres no more Were the next words from the fearless major But the screams of those soon to be dead Were and will always be ringing in my head I knelt down on the landing craft floor I held my muckers hand the one I'd left before Frothing at the mouth like a rabid dog Dont let him die please god? Faster faster I heard myself shout We have to help my mucker out As I look around at my comrades I notice the thousands of tracers above our heads Like a mass of marigolds planted snugly in their beds As we near land I had to let go of my muckers hand In order for me to prepare To take him to the medics somewhere over there Carefully we laid him down onto the ground I have to go but dont die on me when I'm not around Myself and another ran back to the landing craft What was I thinking I must be bloody daft I knew that some onboard was not yet dead At that time that was the only thought in my head So back onboard we both got But we were not prepared for the next twist in the plot A second chance I'd been given the guilt began to lift But the shouts of take cover start another rift A skyhawk appears And towards us it steers The pilots eyes were clear to me And for one moment thought jump into the sea But then I opened fire along with the guy's next to me With all this adrenaline running through my veins I felt like I was about to burst But instead I let rip with my weapon and began to shout and curse The CMS who only moment ago was taking pictures of the burning ship Was curled up in a ball in the corner of the craft and all I could think was you drip I took orders from people like him because they were older But soon found out that it takes more than combat gear and rank to make a soldier As we neared the Sir Galahad There was only one thought that I had Would I go down those stairs this time And try to save some friends of mine In life a second chance rarely comes along But by the time we'd boarded I believed this was one The door we both did try The screams made me want to cry But the handle on the door and even the deck of the ship was by know far too hot Get back onboard shouted the CMS we will give the other side of the ship a shot We got back on the landing craft And sailed around the ships aft As we slowly went through the thick black smoke I began to feel physically sick and began to choke I had to kneel on the floor I suppose something like the CMS before The smell still haunts me to this very day Oh god why did we have to sail that way? As we near the ship from the other side The adrenaline I feel rise inside Ten foot was as close as we got when the CMS ordered us back to shore Why he did this I'll never know maybe he'd taken enough photos and didn't need anymore Our protests he ignored and dismissed Thats it! my second chance I'd missed The guilt I felt inside After sixteen years has began to subside Oh and for all you people out there who asked me to tell them my tale In trade for what must have been gallons and gallons of ale I told you exactly what you wanted to hear So long as you kept buying me the beer THE TRUTH I COULD NOT TELL THE TRUTH WAS JUST SIMPLY HELL
It's amazing to think how long ago that was.....I can so clearly remember watching it with horror on TV......
Mine aint nearly as succinct..... Dont dictate to us until you are marching up Whitehall and even then we wont bloody listen. Imperialists we are, Words from the penn. Ignore the invasion of 82 it never happened. Dont cry for me Argentina sing it if you will you've earned the right, spilled your blood,fought the fight. Abide with me lord as the poppies land at Bluff cove. Sing Rule Brittania...with gutso, with all your might you've earned the right. You are though just imperialists. The invasion of 82? Penn and others say that of you. No mind that The enemy was a facist regime, no mind that the enemy landed unseen. No invite was given You won't be forgiven....by those that cannot or will not see. Catholic state threw nuns out of planes. Took own citizens from lanes. We are not playing games. These were the folk that were met in battle. Argies now can thow out their rattle. Self determination for some but not for the sons of imperialsim...Penn says so. Dont take us for fools, dont test our mettle. We may act daft and put on the kettle. But never forget who we are, dont test our fettle. We won't stand still, stand idly by..its not our way. Sons of imperialism will not listen... So penn...all you who have forgotten, we have not.. So don't dictate to us until your marching up Whitehall... And even then we won't bloody listen... They swear they'll invade us, these terrible foes, They frighten our women, our children, and beaus; But should their flat bottoms in darkness get o'er, Still Britons they'll find to receive them on shore. Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer, To add something more to this wonderful year; To honour we call you, not press you like slaves , For who are so free as the sons of the waves? (Chorus...) Heart of oak are our ships, jolly tars are our men, we always are ready; Steady, boys, steady! Until your marching up Whitehall...and even then we won't bloody listen...
urgh doth jousteth the windmill well from that woolen seat of that airborne sheep that gallahad hath mounted for his journey acrosst the great horizon as he guardeth close the sheephards pen up north.
A great poem Urqh...says many things...brings the pride of the English to the fore...something lacking today. Plenty of English youth should read both poems...put some air in their chests. Yours is a different message and shouldnt be compared to the first. I like it...alot.
