- Author
- Temp Author
- Subjects
- WWII operations, Poetry
- Tags
- None noted.
- RAN Ships
- HMAS Canberra I
- Publication
- December 1974 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
It was 1.45 in the morning,
Serene and quiet the sea;
The Canberra had steamed into Tulagi,
With Guadalcanal on the lee.
The Aussie patrol was with us
With Yankee ships galore,
With troopships, carriers, etc.,
We all blasted the shore.
But fate came to the Cannie,
Through this blasted war,
The Japs had got our position,
And sunk us like ships sunk before.
They sunk us in the morning,
On God’s own day of rest,
It was dark, stormy and rainy,
For our loved ones we did our best.
My Cobber was one that perished,
The best I ever had,
And when I think of our enemies
It sure makes me go mad.
With wounded and dead we waited,
For a ship to hove into view,
We all felt scared as we waited,
For our chances we thought were few.
But the Yanks came in and saved us.
From that place where death was so near,
And as we saw them approaching,
We knew that we had nothing to fear.
Then they took us back to Australia,
The place we love so dear,
I think of my poor dead ship-mates,
And wish that they could’ve been here.
So Folks, when you think of striking,
Remember the boys who are so near,
And the ones that died fighting,
For the ones that they loved so dear.
C. G. Mackintosh, RAN