ʖThe Cowardʔ
I write this from my tiny cell
The day before I go to hell
The cell door slams and in the night
the screams and shouts are quite a fright
My court martial was a sham
The officers don’t give a damn
I disobeyed my captain’s order
Instead, I headed for the border
I joined the army, just fourteen
Just a boy, so young and green
For King and Country’s what they said
Not knowing I would soon be dead
“Over the top” was all I heard
but I froze then ran without a word
I ran and ran, not knowing where
The order gave me quite a scare
I felt a pain, heard a shot
then passed out upon the spot
When I came to, my captain’s there
giving me an icy stare
“You had the choice and ran away”
“Now you’ll live to rue the day”
Tomorrow I will die at dawn
and now I’m feeling quite forlorn
I’ve met my firing squad you see
They came to see me after tea
They promised they would make it quick
Then “I’m on my way to meet Old Nick”
Oh mother dear, I’m frightened now
If only they would time allow
For you to hold me one
last time
and forgive me of this petty crime
Oh mother mine, I love
you so
but soon it will be time to go
Please pray for me when
you go to bed
for tomorrow morning I’ll be dead
© Evad Repooc 2005
Inspired by a boy called Bert who lied about his age
and joined the army at 14 during WW1
He was
tried, sentenced to death as a coward, told, he would “go straight to hell” and
executed on
10
October 1918 (Just a month before the war ended)
Executions
of anyone under 17 were illegal at this time and Bert’s mother was told that he
had “died in action”. Years later she
found out the truth from one of Bert’s fellow platoon members.
Just
another soldier without a grave.
“We must
make examples of these men to maintain discipline and morale”-
Field Marshal "Butcher" Douglas Haig
“They all cry for their mothers at the end” - Unknown
“We must make sure it never happens again”- ER
“Anyone who isn’t moved by the “shotatdawn”
site, can’t be human”- ER
Please take time to look at the links below:
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~dccfarr/
©
Evad Repooc 2005