Monday, 22 June 2020

Memories to Lament



Howdydoo all, hope you are doing well and behaving yourselves amidst the Virus restrictions. Victoria not looking good, lots of new cases appearing throughout the State, obviously those involved in the recent rally will be becoming anxious waiting for any signs of contracting the virus, for their sake I hope they remain clear. 
Tassie not looking too bad, some restrictions being eased and all going well, should not be far away from getting back to normal. Lets hope that when the border is opened that we do not encounter any spike in cases, god willing.
Below is a verse (story) I put together just recently. Many years back I encountered a bloke , a veteran, who told me his version of his experiences of war during the Middle East Campaign, we were downing a beer or two in Caboolture QLD at the time, I had no reason to disbelieve his account so here follows my adaption of his memories....good reading.



Memories to Lament



Way back in nineteen forty... I was a young bloke drovin oe’r the plain
From west of Warialda ...to Tenterfield...and then back home again
When I rode back home one day, my mum she met me at the door
She handed me a letter awash in tears, I’d been called up to war.

To leave my dog and my horse behind... was a difficult stage in my life
Can’t imagine how I would have felt... if I’d had kids... and a wife
The day I left my mum was in tears , I told her not to worry so
My Country has called me up to war... and I just have to go.

I took the rattler down to Sydney town York Street waitin there for me
It was standing room only... lots of eager boys seeking a trip overseas
Billy Dargin, and Benny Hall were there, they hailed from way up Armidale
After signing up we took a truck to Puckapunyal... and joined an army detail

It was but only a matter of time before we’d made the grade and were ready to fight
Mostly a bunch of kids just outa school... not knowing of their plight
Soon back onto the trucks to Sydney town.. and from the Quay we did depart
A Brigade of young’uns aboard the SS Queen Mary, not old enough to be street-smart.

Tobruk was our destination... but at the time... to where we did not know
The voyage across the Indian Ocean kept many a young soldier down below
Around Cape Horn without a skirmish, steadfastly The Mary made her way
Then into the Mediterranean... to Egypt and Libya, where we found our prey

The Western Desert Force was to be reckoned with ...beit with little firepower
For several months they held the fort against the enemy, never once to cower
The Axis threw the might of tanks, battleships and planes, against but a few…
But the Aussie Diggers held them back, not allowing the enemy to breakthrough

When the battle for Tobruk was over and the Axis retreated to their hole
We, left out there on the front... took days to count up the mounting toll
Many Diggers had been lost, others with horrific injuries known as human debris
Some still remain there silent under the desert sand... whilst some are home ...
now laying under a wattle tree.

Billy Dargin never made it back, and Benny Hall never again saw the light of day
But their accomplishments have lived on, and of course remembered every Anzac day
Whilst I made it home to Warialda... my mum she was waiting with my favourite rabbit stew
Yes, now I am back with my horse and my dog... drovin cattle again across the Old Barcoo.


Darrell B Parker
Weaver of Words and Emotions
20/06/2020

1 comment:

dwb said...

wow you must have had a very interesting life ?