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Celebrating The Things That Make Australia Unique
by Robert L. Thompson
Published 1914
Historic song of
the landing of the Australian Expeditionary Forces at the Dardanelles.
On the Twenty-fourth of April as they lay in Mudros Bay,
After weeks of Egypt and the sea,
Orders came, the Third Brigade, honors were to share
With the Allied Troops to take Gallipoli.
Impressive and dramatic were the big ship's quarter decks,
As the chaplains in the moonlight offer'd prayer,
For who knew ere the morning how many would be left
To tell the reason why, or when, or where?
No matter what your station, rise up in acclamation
For those heroes of the nation that your conscience tells,
And the sisters, wives and mothers of our brave and gallant brothers
Who fought and died for others at the Dardanelles.
At midnight all were ordered to partake a hearty meal,
As the troopships moved in to the land,
All was deathly silent, lest the watchful Turk knew
Their motive, ere the open boats were manned.
The moon was set, the cutters towed some hundreds of our kin
Across the sea and out into the night,
'Til the skyline showed grey hills and they heard the breakers beat
Upon the shores of foe they had to fight.
No matter what your station, rise up in acclamation
For those heroes of the nation that your conscience tells,
And the sisters, wives and mothers of our brave and gallant brothers
Who fought and died for others at the Dardanelles.
The peep of dawn broke silence, for the sniper on the shore
From his hiding place had giv'n alarm,
And a thousand rifles rattled, a thousand bullets splashed
Among our gallant heroes brave but calm.
They leapt into the water and waded through waist deep,
Their orders were "no firing," but "cold steel,"
They scaled the cliffs and gullies with gleaming bayonets fixed
And followed till they made the Turcan squeal.
No matter what your station, rise up in acclamation
For those heroes of the nation that your conscience tells,
And the sisters, wives and mothers of our brave and gallant brothers
Who fought and died for others at the Dardanelles.
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