Lone Pine

Grunting with exertion they pried up the log roof Those hardened Diggers who seemed somewhat aloof Their snarling faces glared into the darkness below Blackened figures hardly seen, swaying to and fro. Curses uncounted and fighting unseen In darkness they fought amidst uncanny screams Inm pine covered trenches they night quickly came An unlikely victory in a doomed campaign. Twenty minutes of terror and they took the main trench A prelude to four days fighting in a nauseating stench But Lone Pine was for the keeping A worthy victory at last Though with two thousand casualties the cost, it seems so vast.

Submitted by Grave666 — Apr 25, 2025

The decision had been made We must leave this fatal shore But at what cost to the Diggers Three thousand, maybe four? To leave dead cobbers behind To go and fight in the real war So many mixed emotions For the Australian, New Zealand army corps First steps had been taken To deceive the now honoured Turk For him to think we'll be staying To continue the siege work From high ground the Turks could see A game of cricket of Shell Green The running between wickets Under shell fire 'What a scene!' Diggers walking in circles Carrying water for a laugh The Turks spotted nothing unusual Yet another classic bluff ANZACs farewelled their fallen cobbers For the time had finally come To leave the place by boat Kept warm by the nip of rum Not a Digger killed The Turks were truly deceived Rifles still fired on the ridges Time delayed rifles, who would believe.

Submitted by NecroLord — Apr 25, 2025