It Was Just Before Dawn

One Miserable Morning In Black '44

When The Forward Commander

Was Told To Sit Tight

When He Asked That His Men Be Withdrawn

And The Generals Gave Thanks

As The Other Ranks

Held Back The Enemy Tanks For A While

And The Anzio Bridghead Was Held For The Price

Of A Few Hundred Ordinary Lives



And Kind Old King George Sent Mother A Note

When He Heard That Father Was Gone

It Was, I Recall, In The Form Of A Scroll

With Gold Leaf And All

And I Found It One Day

In A Drawer Of Old Photographs, Hidden Away

And My Eyes Still Grow Damp

To Remember

That His Majesty Signed

With His Own Rubber Stamp



It Was Dark All Around

There Was Frost In The Ground

When The Tigers Broke Free

And No One Survived From The Royal Fusiliers, Company C

They Were All Left Behind

Most Of Them Dead

The Rest Of Them Dying

And That's How The High Command

Took My Daddy From Me