Epitaph To Fallen Heroes

As we rallied to the Falklands cry, And prepared ourselves to fight and die, Some willing, some pressed, some volunteers, All with deep down hidden fears. Gangways gone, Hawser sip, Sail Intrepid, fighting ship!! Long hard days, sleepless nights Working hard to get things right. Ascension passed, Falklands closing Argentine threat, everyone joking. D Day troops- we pushed them through, Still we laughed, so little we knew. For us the war was still not real, How could we know just what we'd feel. Sympathy, hurt, pain and fears, revulsion, hate, horror and tears Bombs exploding - war is raging, Begin to realise what we're facing. Rockets loud and missiles firing, Heroes living, heroes dying. "Hit the deck" we hear the cry, Please dear God I dont want to die Air raid over, planes depart, All quiet, that was just the start. Weeks go past, countless plans Intrepid:- Battle hardened veterans Air raids come and air raids go British Victory? Hopes they grow, Ships hit, ships sinking, People hurt, it gets me thinking, So much pain and so much sorrow Christ: it could be me tomorrow Now at last Port Stanley taken Argentine hopes, all are broken, Britain has won, or have we really? Peace has been paid for, very dearly. Thousands of lives have been lost, How can one start to count the cost! Shortly, back to Britain will be the course, Set by the victorious:- Task Force! Into the arms of the waiting newsmen, To be out on page one to page ten. But when the publicity has all passed, As I'm sure you know it cannot last, Who'll remember the fallen lads, Who gave their lives for the Falkland Islands. The distant land no-one recalls, Except when they bother to take a slight pause. So take heed Politicians, look back over history, And forget the Chivalry and the Glory. They don' exist - lest not in this age, Or can they in any future war we may wage. Before you set forth on any crusade you may persue, Remember the servicemen, you need to back you. From this Epitaph, let one thing remain, Don't even let one man have died in Vain!!!!!! AEM(M)Clifford 20.6.82