He was getting old and paunchy And his hair was falling fast, And he sat around the RSL, Telling stories of the past.
Of a war that he once fought in And the deeds that he had done, In his exploits with his buddies; They were heroes, every one.
And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors His tales became a joke, All his buddies listened quietly For they knew where of he spoke.
But we'll hear his tales no longer, For ol' Bob has passed away, And the world's a little poorer For a Soldier died today.
He won't be mourned by many, Just his children and his wife.. For he lived an ordinary, Very quiet sort of life.
He held a job and raised a family, Going quietly on his way; And the world won't note his passing, 'Tho a Soldier died today.
When politicians leave this earth, Their bodies lie in state, While thousands note their passing, And proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell of their life stories >From the time that they were young But the passing of a Soldier Goes unnoticed, and unsung.
Is the greatest contribution To the welfare of our land, Some jerk who breaks his promise And cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow Who in times of war and strife, Goes off to serve his country And offers up his life?
The politician's stipend And the style in which he lives, Are often disproportionate, To the service that he gives.
While the ordinary Soldier, Who offered up his all, Is paid off with a medal And perhaps a pension, small.
It's so easy to forget them, For it is so many times That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys, Went to battle, but we know,
It is not the politicians With their compromise and ploys, Who won for us the freedom That our country now enjoys.
Should you find yourself in danger, With your enemies at hand, Would you really want some cop-out, With his ever waffling stand?
Or would you want a Soldier-- His home, his country, his kin, Just a common Soldier, Who would fight until the end.
He was just a common Soldier, And his ranks are growing thin, But his presence should remind us We may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, We find the Soldier's part Is to clean up all the troubles That the politicians start.
If we cannot do him honor While he's here to hear the praise, Then at least let's give him homage At the ending of his days..
Perhaps just a simple headline In the paper that might say: "OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING, A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."
Pass On The Patriotism! YOU can make a difference
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life,
wrote a blank check made payable to 'Australia', 'New Zealand', 'Canada'
'The United States' or any other God fearing country for an amount "up to and including my life".
That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this WORLD who no longer understand it
jimbo said
09:08 PM Apr 21, 2013
Very stirring stuff... It is just a shame that, one may say! What a waste of lives due to the state of the World today
GaryKelly said
11:29 PM Apr 21, 2013
Old Kev, my next door neighbor, died a couple of years ago aged 83. He was a WWII vet in the air force, who served in Darwin. I took his widow to the graveside funeral where his coffin sat above the freshly dug earth, draped in the Australian flag. Two of his mates from the pub were there... standing back from proceedings. The others included the cleaning lady, the widow, me, the funeral director and one of his staff. And that was it. Old Kev had a son, but they hadn't seen each other for donkey's years.
He won't be mourned by many, A couple of mates and wife.. For he lived an ordinary, Very quiet sort of life.
chrisnchris said
01:41 AM Apr 22, 2013
How true . As a child I attended almost every Anzac Day March in Sydney with my father and the tradition followed on with my kids and now my granddaughter marches with Poppy ( Vietnam ) proudly wearing my fathers medals ( WW2 ) and his fathers ( WW1) When asked why she marched she simply answered " I'm thanking the soldiers for my freedom " Cheers
way2gokev said
04:14 PM Apr 22, 2013
G'day very moving words and the governments and top brass who sent these young men and women to their deaths or a lifetime of pain and suffering should hang their heads. Sadly the old guard of diggers are getting less and less as each year goes by. I salute them and thank them all for the freedom that I now enjoy.
Sadly the loss of life in conflict through out the world will continue the causes of which are many.
Cheers
Kev
Gerty Dancer said
04:20 PM Apr 22, 2013
Even more sadly there's still more young diggers who don't come home, or come home damaged for a lifetime of suffering as you said Kev. Their families will never be the same either. It seems we've learned nothing.
hokianga said
01:11 AM Apr 23, 2013
thank you for posting this.
NeilandRaine said
05:38 AM Apr 23, 2013
On the subject of ANZAC Day I am wondering why the caravan show is allowed to open at 10 am when nothing else can open until 12. I feel a bit of disrespect from the organisers. Just my opinion tho.
Ontos45 said
05:49 PM Apr 23, 2013
Excellent post.
"Its Tommy this and Tommy that and Tommy hows yer soul, But its the thin red line of bloody heros when the drums begin to roll"
Kipling
Hard to get up for Dawn Service now but get to the march at home (Emu Park)
johnq said
06:02 PM Apr 23, 2013
Reading the online edition of The Courier Mail I was rather shocked and disappointed to find journalist Grantlee Kieza referring to WWI Gallipoli Sniper Billy Sing as an "assassin". The same article and reference was in the online news.com.au (The Australian)
All understand the dictionary meaning of the word:
as·sas·sin /sasin/ Noun
A murderer of an important person in a surprise attack for political or religious reasons. A member of the a branch of Ismaili Muslims (10941256), renowned as violent militant fanatics.
Has political correctness gone so far in Australia that this brave man is referred to by the disgusting, hideous and wrong epithet of murderer? Has history been re-written?
A Poem Worth Reading
He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the RSL,
Telling stories of the past.
Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.
And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.
But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.
He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife..
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.
He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Soldier died today.
When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell of their life stories
>From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.
Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some jerk who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?
The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.
While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.
It's so easy to forget them,
For it is so many times
That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys,
Went to battle, but we know,
It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.
Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?
Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end.
He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.
If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days..
Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."
Pass On The Patriotism!
YOU can make a difference
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life,
wrote a blank check made payable to 'Australia', 'New Zealand', 'Canada'
'The United States' or any other God fearing country for an amount "up to and including my life".
That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this WORLD who no longer understand it
Very stirring stuff... It is just a shame that, one may say! What a waste of lives due to the state of the World today
He won't be mourned by many,
A couple of mates and wife..
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.
and now my granddaughter marches with Poppy ( Vietnam ) proudly wearing my fathers medals ( WW2 ) and his fathers ( WW1)
When asked why she marched she simply answered " I'm thanking the soldiers for my freedom "
Cheers
G'day very moving words and the governments and top brass who sent these young men and women to their deaths or a lifetime of pain and suffering should hang their heads. Sadly the old guard of diggers are getting less and less as each year goes by. I salute them and thank them all for the freedom that I now enjoy.
Sadly the loss of life in conflict through out the world will continue the causes of which are many.
Cheers
Kev
Even more sadly there's still more young diggers who don't come home, or come home damaged for a lifetime of suffering as you said Kev. Their families will never be the same either. It seems we've learned nothing.
I feel a bit of disrespect from the organisers. Just my opinion tho.
Excellent post.
"Its Tommy this and Tommy that
and Tommy hows yer soul,
But its the thin red line of bloody heros
when the drums begin to roll"
Kipling
Hard to get up for Dawn Service now but get to the march at home (Emu Park)
Reading the online edition of The Courier Mail I was rather shocked and disappointed to find journalist Grantlee Kieza referring to WWI Gallipoli Sniper Billy Sing as an "assassin". The same article and reference was in the online news.com.au (The Australian)
All understand the dictionary meaning of the word:
as·sas·sin
/sasin/
Noun
A murderer of an important person in a surprise attack for political or religious reasons.
A member of the a branch of Ismaili Muslims (10941256), renowned as violent militant fanatics.
Has political correctness gone so far in Australia that this brave man is referred to by the disgusting, hideous and wrong epithet of murderer? Has history been re-written?
http://www.couriermail.com.au/
http://www.news.com.au/national-news/world-war-i-sniper-billy-sing-remembered-by-ex-servicemen/story-fncynjr2-1226626186615