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'''The Capture of Boomerang Trench''' is a poem by W. F. Rollo, dedicated to all ranks of the [[1st_Battalion_(Regular_Army)_Border_Regiment|1st Border Regiment]]. |
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'''The Capture of Boomerang Trench''' is a poem by W. F. Rollo, dedicated to all ranks of the [[1st Border Regiment]]. |
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{{Poem|text= |
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{{Poem|text={{clear}} |
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:Crouched down in the shelter of the trench,
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Crouched down in the shelter of the trench,<br> |
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:While mortars shelled their way,
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While mortars shelled their way,<br> |
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:And naval might screaming thro' the air,
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And naval might screaming thro' the air,<br> |
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:The Border fighters lay
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The Border fighters lay<br> |
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:In eager expectation, while
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In eager expectation, while<br> |
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:Red was their spirits sang,
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Red was their spirits sang,<br> |
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:For theirs the honour of the day -
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For theirs the honour of the day -<br> |
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:To win the Boomerang!
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To win the Boomerang!<br> |
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<br> |
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Like pack of hounds they strained the leash, <br> |
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And while commands rang out, <br> |
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:Like pack of hounds they strained the leash, |
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Like pack of hounds they raced to gain <br> |
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:And while commands rang out, |
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The Boomerang Redoubt; <br> |
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:Like pack of hounds they raced to gain |
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No chance the Turkish rifle fire <br> |
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To stay their swift career <br> |
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:No chance the Turkish rifle fire |
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Across the hundred yards of scrub, <br> |
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:To stay their swift career |
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Or quell their frenzied cheer. <br> |
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:Across the hundred yards of scrub, |
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<br> |
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:Or quell their frenzied cheer. |
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They swept the foe from parapet, <br> |
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From round each maxim grin, <br> |
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And hardly in their fury paused <br> |
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:They swept the foe from parapet, |
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When bullet touched a limb, <br> |
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:From round each maxim grin, |
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With butt and bayonet they slew <br> |
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:And hardly in their fury paused |
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In onslaught none could face, <br> |
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:When bullet touched a limb, |
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And cheered again, as in dismay <br> |
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:With butt and bayonet they slew |
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The foeman fled the place. <br> |
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:In onslaught none could face, |
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<br> |
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:And cheered again, as in dismay |
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Tho' fierce the fight, so brief the same, <br> |
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:The foeman fled the place. |
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That they who watched behind <br> |
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Scarce thought the thrilling deed was o'er <br> |
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Its like seemed hard to find, <br> |
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:Tho' fierce the fight, so brief the same, |
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For when the Borders left their trench, <br> |
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:That they who watched behind |
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<br> |
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:Scarce thought the thrilling deed was o'er |
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Few minutes scarce had run <br> |
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:Its like seemed hard to find, |
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Till their victorious shout proclaimed <br> |
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:For when the Borders left their trench, |
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The Boomerang was won. <br> |
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:Few minutes scarce had run |
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:Till their victorious shout proclaimed |
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|author=L/Cpl. W. F. Rollo |
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|author=L/Cpl. W. F. Rollo |
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|source=Stray Shots from the [[Dardanelles]]}} |
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|source=Stray Shots from the [[Dardanelles]]}} |
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* Original source: ''Stray Shots from the [[Dardanelles]], A collection by Lance Corporal W.F. Rollo'' dedicated to All Ranks of the 1st Battalion the Border Regiment, The Gallipolian, No.46, Christmas 1984, p.17. |
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* Original source: ''Stray Shots from the [[Dardanelles]], A collection by Lance Corporal W.F. Rollo'' dedicated to All Ranks of the 1st Battalion the Border Regiment, The Gallipolian, No.46, Christmas 1984, p.17. |
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[[Category:War Poetry]] |
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[[Category:War poetry]] |
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[[Category:Gallipoli]] |
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[[Category:1st Battalion (Regular Army)]] |
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[[Category:Cape Helles]] |
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[[Category:1915]] |
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