Langemark

May, 1915

The maple leaf is stained with red, Deeper than autumn's dye; On foreign fields our noble dead Their valor testify.

Cut off, out-numbered, ten to one, By wolfish German pack Our men like heroes fought and won, They kept the Teutons back.

They held their post, they saved the day, Those young lions from the West; What higher tribute can we pay, "They fought like Britain's best."

When reinforcements came at last, Then woe betide the Huns, From man to man the word was passed "We must retake the guns."

Mid rifle ball and poison bomb, Shrapnel and shrieking shell, And all the hell of Kaiserdom, They charged, while hundreds fell.

With fearless eye and ringing cheer They made that wild advance, For life was cheap and glory dear, Those bloody days in France.

O, life is short to him who gives Long years for selfish pay; In righteous cause, the soldier lives A lifetime in a day.