Poem "Join The Line"

[Digzster]

Fellow Goaters,

This year I was lucky enough to participate in the Cenetaph march. When I finally got home (after finding the trains cancelled) the BBC were covering the Cenetaph on repeat.

A fallen soldiers' father had written a poem called "Join the line" and I just caught the end of it. I've been routing through the web this morning but cannot find it. Does anybody know where or if it is published?


Thanks

 

[Trillian]

The Line

To Trenton field the fallen came
Flag draped coffin home again
Serried ranks of soldiers stand
Family silent at the ramp

Down the ramp by comrades held
Slow march to the pipers dirge
Rain masks tears in every eye
Save the jackals with their cameras

Past the Sergeants at the ramp
Whose angry eyes demanded
We held the line at Kandahar
Yet still my brother’s are falling

Past the Colonel at the ramp
Whose tired eyes are wondering
We held the line in the Medak Pocket
And still my boys are falling

To the father with his angry eyes
Whose raptor gaze rings challenge
We held the line at Leopoldville
And still my boy is fallen.

Grandfather’s eyes are misted grey
Head shaking disbelieving
We held the line on Normandy beach
And still my grandchild’s fallen

Ranks of soldiers standing tall
Shining eyes demanding
To join the line their comrade held
The pact remains unbroken

Hard eyed soldier to the widow walks
His voice trembling with emotion
He held the line and to your love
To you he has returned

Ravens soar above the crowd
Valkyries ride the thunder
While the nation would forget the pact
Their soldiers yet remember


Not sure if that's what you're after...

 

[Digzster]

Thanks Trillian, but that's not the one. The BBC said that it had been written this year by the father of a trooper killed in the 'Stan recently.

 

[riffraff]

Is this the one?


There is in the eternal realms a great line of men who march along a long winding road
Their task is to collect the dead of ages taken from the ranks of the fallen

After midnight on the 30th May 2009 the great line halts and a Sgt Majors voice rings out not as in the parade ground but in the solom silence increasing

The short command is given: "Get fell in to the rear of the coloumn"
Two soldiers take their place and adjust their equipment and calm their terrible expressions

These fallen two shoulder arms and the great line of men the dead of ages taken from the ranks of the fallen moves off at a slow march winding it's way along the long winding road

Almost out of sight the line visably halts and a Sgt Majors voice rings out
"Get fell in at the rear of the Column"

And we who mortals be strain to hear the sound of marching feet

 

[pie sandwich]

It can be seen HERE his father reads it out, it is right at the very end around 1hr45

 

[Digzster]

That's the one

That's the one

Pie Sandwich,

I tried that, however with only a 512Mb tinterweb link (courtesy of base's locn from exchange) the BBC's I-player will not run.

Likewise, IGS has it blocked (hence the post).

I'll try and get a colleague with a faster link at home to copy.

Thanks for trying though.

 

[psycho-fluffy]

Is this the one?


There is in the eternal realms a great line of men who march along a long winding road
Their task is to collect the dead of ages taken from the ranks of the fallen

After midnight on the 30th May 2009 the great line halts and a Sgt Majors voice rings out not as in the parade ground but in the solom silence increasing

The short command is given: "Get fell in to the rear of the coloumn"
Two soldiers take their place and adjust their equipment and calm their terrible expressions

These fallen two shoulder arms and the great line of men the dead of ages taken from the ranks of the fallen moves off at a slow march winding it's way along the long winding road

Almost out of sight the line visably halts and a Sgt Majors voice rings out
"Get fell in at the rear of the Column"

And we who mortals be strain to hear the sound of marching feet

That is the one.

Strangely the eye and throat problems I experienced on Sunday morning seems to have returned as I read it.

P-F