Quite Apt

Found this earlier and though it was worth sharing.  Original at http://www.squaddiesongs.com/songs/twentycentsoldier.html

Twentieth Century Soldier
A modern day poem


It’s the year Nineteen Hundred, ring in the New Year
All hope for the future with nothing to fear
But even back then the rot had begun
For down in South Africa, land of diamonds and sun
It’s Atkins v Boer to the chattering Maxim gun
With the Boer war over look forward we must
Peace to all men, In God, King and Empire we trust
Then come Nineteen Fourteen, the call comes again
For Tommy Atkins to bear up to the pain
So come my brave lads come, fight for your land
Why? Coz they’ve murdered some Prince name of Ferdinand
So off goes old Tommy, bear witness he must
To the carnage in trenches of mud, blood and dust

Now, in modern warfare, technologies not lost
Tanks are invented and aircraft a must
All Tommy remembers are the mates he has lost
But with the war to end wars all done and past
It’s into the Twenties the time goes so fast

Into the Thirties, depressions not good
Still we got through it we knew that we would
But listen lads, listen! And not far away
A madman named Hitler is having his say
Austria annexed we wonder what for
Then the sound of the Jackboot in the
Rhineland once more

So off down to Munich goes Neville. That’s fine!
Comes back with a promise of ‘peace in our time’
But still into Poland the Jackboot does march
Can man's thirst for blood never be parched

Five long years. Inventions abound
From Spitfires and Hurricanes to jet engine sounds
Still Tommy is asked to fight the good fight
From Dunkirk to Normandy with Berlin in his sight

Then peace comes at last in mid Forty-Five
But only to those who have been left alive
At least ‘Peace should last in this modern world’
Because of the threat of ‘NUKES’ being hurled

But all through this ‘Peace´, Tommy still had to fight
From Korea to Kenya, with all of his might
Then Suez, Malaya and Aden awhile

Then into Belfast a new fighting style
So into the Eighties can this be wars end?
No off to the Falklands old Tommy they send
Then into the era of new micro chips
High tech tanks and cruise carrying ships

And at home on the news and headlined in papers
Come stories to us of Arabian capers
Still why should those at home start to worry?
If wars to and fro in the Gulf should scurry

Into Kuwait Sadam sends his forces
Now this could affect our oil resources
"We cant have that", our Government say
"We’ll send Tommy Atkins, he’ll save the day"

Now we’ve got all this new technology
We’ll use lots of that to the media’s glee
So in go the cruise and the bombs. Oh so smart!!
They strike out Iraq’s industrial heart

When they are finished we’ll send Tommy, he’s bold
So Tommy waits orders with a sweat that is cold!
His only real wish, his girls hand to hold

So after the millions are spent
On these clever weapons of evil intent
Forward once more Tommy does go
Again into the breach, against his foe

It’s the Nineteen Nineties this must be wars end
Why there’s not even a cold war the budget to spend
But those in politics they know what’s best
"We’ll risk Tommy’s life in other folk’s mess"

So now he tabs streets in the Balkans, his tactics to test
Will old Tommy Atkins never find rest?
Peace keeping Duties for Tommy, its a ‘NEW MODERN ROLE’
We can’t leave old Tommy to stand at the dole

‘New peace keeping role’ yeah that sounds fine
So Tommy won’t loose mates doing this like he did in
Cyprus, Belfast or Palestine.

So is all the killing now out of his hands
Has Tommy now freed all the ‘INOCENT’ lands
Will our brave Tommy Atkins not make one last stand
With his Bayonet fixed and rifle in hand
Or will he through shouts for a world that is free
Have to fight on through the next CENTURY!

Now having rubbed shoulders with Tommy I know
He’ll always get sent by them as don’t go!