The Armoured Taxis.

The 'Crunchies' had summoned

For an extraction from the Light Green

But when we arrived at the pickup point

They were no where to be seen

We called them on the radio

To find out where they were

Then asked them to throw smoke

So we could home in with our cars

A couple of clicks through the scrub

We came upon our quarry

Who after being in the 'J' for a time

Were looking a little sick and sorry

A shower, clean greens, a few beers and some sleep

Was just what the Doctor ordered

But they had to wait another 24hrs

Before getting anything hot to eat

The reason for the holdup

Was the bogging of Two Niner Mike

So the diggers went back in the scrub

As we settled in for a nervous night

We were not in a tactical formation

Due to the gaps between the ranks

But the morning saw us smiling

When we saw a Troop of Tanks

It took a couple of hours

For the Tank crews to arrive

And I can quite honestly say

They were a sight for sore eyes

The 'Tankies' looked at the track

And soon had the task assessed

But this was to be a recovery

That would put them to the test

They linked up all of their towropes

Like a team of Elephants

Then started up their engines

That sounded like one almighty chant

They pulled and pulled together

And pulled with all their might

But the track was bogged real badly

It was in there nice and tight

At last it started moving

Slowly in the mud

But the suction was such

That it didn't really want to budge

But finally it came away

And we all let out a phew

Because now we were all able

To head back to the 'Horseshoe'.

===========================================

We Shall Not Forget Them.

All was quiet on the home front

At the beginning of 1899

When word of the Boer uprising

Came crackling down the line

Queensland put its hand up

Followed by the other eastern states

And together they sent a message to Britain

We'll be there with you mates

That war hardly seemed to finish

When the Huns began to roar

And attacked a peaceful country

Then declared an all out war

England was in dire straits

Once again their lines were thin

So we put our hands up once again

To help quieten another din

Again the world seemed to be at peace

At least for twenty years

Until the Huns started up again

And our hearts were filled with fear

Again our sons and daughters

Went over to lend a hand

And support old Mother England

And show unity with a strong stand

Again peace was to last for us

Only but a few short years

Before our troops were again committed

To action in Korea

After that there was Malaya

Borneo and South Vietnam

As well as the contingent in the Gulf

Helping to keep Kuwait a free land

To all our Peacekeeping Forces

We also must give our thanks

For doing their job unwittingly

Against such things as tanks

To East Timor just to our north

Just a stone throw from our shore

We sent our troops to do a job

Of protecting the oppressed and the poor

Now last of all we say thank you

To our troops of then and now

For making the ultimate sacrifice

So the future generation will know

That when ever some one asks you

If you can lend a hand

You'll remember what our diggers said

"Of course we Bloody can."

===========================================

USELESS

I feel my usefulness subsiding

After all these many years

Its enough to make this veteran

Shed a painful tear

IT doesn't matter what I do

Or even what I say

I seem to my family

To be getting in the way

I wish that I could go back

To when I was fighting in the war

Because at least I knew what I was doing

When I stepped on that foreign shore

THERE was a feeling of control

That made me feel really good

But now it seems that I am lost

And just wandering in the woods

I don't know what to do any more

With every passing day

I don't know whether to run away

Or hang around and stay

LIFE seems too hard to me

It really isn't fair

At times I just sit around

And have the thousand mile stare

TO check out seems the only way

And end this way I feel

But doing so would mean giving up

And that’s not really me

I was brought up to be strong

Its a habit that’s hard to break

So I guess I'll just hang in there

Because its not too late

To way up all my options

And make the proper choice

To stay or go from this life

Should I listen to the voice?

THAT hangs around in my head

And tells me what to do

It gets so very confusing

But now at least I know

TO carry on the fight

Of knowing what’s right and wrong

So I guess it will be a long time

Before I bang the gong

TO tell the world I've had enough

And say a fond farewell

To the life that I've been living

That’s become a living hell