JUST A COMMON SOLDIER
or
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY

He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion, telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,

In his exploits with his mates; they were heroes, every one.

And tho' sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,
All his Legion mates listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer for old Bill has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer, for a soldier died today.

He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,
And the world won't note his passing, though a soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land
A guy who breaks his promises and cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his Country and offers up his life?

A politician's stipend and the style in which he lives
Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives.
While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension small.

It's so easy to forget them for it was so long ago,
That the old Bills of our Country went to battle, but we know
It was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand,
Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand?
Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and Country and would fight until the end?

He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honour while he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage at the ending of his days.
Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,

Our Country is in mourning, for

A SOLDIER DIED TODAY
© 1987 A. Lawrence Vain court www.vaincourt.homestead.com
♦ 

VIII
LAST POST
Rest ye, oh Warrior, you’ll battle no more no longer to live the horrors of war your duty was done, with
Honour and Pride’ farewell! Oh brother, until we march by your side.

Gordon Parham Band Master
Malaysia
♦
 Gnr Ian Hitchiner D COY Vietnam
♦
Peter Rumsay 1-2-6-8RAR
♦
1735745 PTE Noel David NIELSEN, D COY Vietnam 29th April 1970 -
12th November 1970
♦
Arthur Mcmahon 8-3RAR
17 Feb 2010
♦
PTE Ian Maloney SPT COY
Vietnam
26 MAY 2010
His Funeral will be @ The Taralga Catholic Church at 2pm (1400) on Tuesday, 1 June 2010.
♦
“Well done thou good and faithful friends.”
‘WE CAN NEVER FORGET’