An urgent message sent out for Australians asking them to come,
Learn to fight for their country ‘til the battle is won,
Men from the city and those from the outback,
To be taught by the army, the speciality of armed combat.
Personnel so eager to partake in this senseless bloody war,
Proud, loyal and true, they were trained to attack and more,
Fully equipped, all soldiers sharp and keen,
Working with Kiwi’s, they became a strong-minded team.
Later on, travelling over land then by sea,
To an unknown war torn shore named Gallipoli.
Hidden out of sight in a filthy, dirty, muddy trench,
Sweaty unwashed bodies added to the stench.
Sending out scouts to find a better, dryer place,
Sneaking back quietly, they told the Sergeant this one had a lot more space.
Stealth was the answer, they marched silently on,
The Germans raided their haven, they found they were gone.
Sending in troops, handpicked, the army’s elite,
First ones to capture a large German platoon knew it was a victorious defeat.
With great determination, Klaus told the prisoners, he’d find a way,
For all of them to escape, that same day.
Klaus smashed the lock, it was a really flimsy one,
Out of the camp they went on the run.
The guard posted on duty went to check on his foe,
Horrified to find empty cells and wondering which way they’d go.
An encounter with the Sergeant, who roared and yelled at him,
How could he be so witless, careless and dim?
Sergeant Ryan, stretched to his limit, yet some soldiers must be sent,
The Australian and New Zealander soldiers must find the POWs before sunset.
Searching everywhere, high and low,
Eureka! We’ve found them, back to the hideout we’ll go.
Months went by, would this war never end?
Losing your mates and many a close friend.
Some had to struggle to be even stronger,
Everyone hoped this stinking war wouldn’t last much longer.
Oakes, our genius wireless operator gave a blood curdling yell,
The war is over; let’s get out of this rotten place called hell.
Padre Miller said, “Please be silent a moment so I can pray!
We will remember those who cannot be with us today!
Those soldiers paid the ultimate price, now they are gone.”
After spending time thinking of them, they moved on.
Freedom! “The word changed the atmosphere,
Relief chased away the doubts and fear,
War and fighting banished at last,
Putting behind them tragedies from the past.
As they were all dismounting every man sized tent,
Into the desert scouts once more were sent,
Coming back in shock, frightened by what they had seen,
Sergeant Ryan questioned his top secret team.
In a hidden valley not far from here,
Eighty German soldiers ready to go somewhere,
Evan, one of the Sergeant’s scouts had a devious plan,
Watching their hideout, he found a greedy German.
Bribing this ever-willing, double agent guard,
Giving over the secrets to Evan wasn’t too hard,
Shaken by what the horrific news was about,
Heinz boldly told each one and every shocked scout.
Klaus trained an efficient German team,
Coming up with a wicked, evil scheme,
He and his devilish men set a disastrous trap,
A bomb would ensure the enemy would be demolished on that track.
Heinz said, “The money would be easy to hide,”
No-one could know he had worked for the other side,
The Sergeant had to find a way to miss the attack,
His mind recalled a disused shack.
It was built near a ginormous sand dune,
Determined to escape the impending doom,
Hurrying and ordering his platoon around,
This way was shorter, they would be homeward bound.
Let me dare you to listen to this true story I must tell,
Of wounded soldiers snatched from a fiery hell,
Fractured limbs, broken spirits to mend,
Fighting for their lives in a callous dirty war to the bitter end.
On stretchers and with crutches to the hospital they came,
Desolate, crying, with bodies in intensive pain,
Theatre staff, sickened by the blood covered men,
Sent by the medics to perform miracles again.
Nurses were warm hearted, Aussies and Kiwi’s too,
Being near death they helped them break through,
Giving out medications for pain and trauma relief,
Anne was always busy, rushed off her feet.
Challenges beckoned her; she took up the task and carried them through,
This brilliant nurse encouraged all, her caring and kindness shone from her too,
Though she had little time, she’d helped new nurses on her ward,
Anne loved helping others, this was her reward.
Surprise! Surprise! Alex heard Devon’s sexy voice,
Reminding herself Devon was her perfect choice,
Shivers of pleasure splayed down her spine,
Her heart raced madly, ecstasy divine.
Devon looked at her sparkling bedroom eyes,
He certainly had claimed his precious prize,
Devon was smitten; Alex’s beauty was like a scarlet poppy.
Representing the magnificent flowers of Gallipoli.
Romance sparked towards each other from deep within,
Alex, to Devon became his heroine,
“Well now you have welcomed me home from the war,
I will take you upstairs and lock the bedroom door.”
Soldiers returning home to their families at last,
Had difficulty forgetting the pain and trauma from the past,
Crippled! The word echoed throughout Jaxon’s brain,
His life lay in ruins; he would never be the same.
One day his mate Noah brought Jax a placid therapy dog,
Telling him, the dog was trained in an unusual job,
Apart from basic tricks, he could do most things Jax would need,
All Jax had to do was easy, give Jake a good feed.
Jake could hear someone knock quietly on the door,
He would race over to Jax and lift up his right paw,
Jaxon’s life was happy; he now had a loyal friend,
No matter what happens; Jax knew on Jake he could depend.
Could anyone here today, standing in silent memory,
Risk their lives like our heroes of Gallipoli.
Hilda Oakley
Copyright © 05.05.2019
