Axis & Allies - damowords

Verdun
There is a glory in the call to arms,
Marshall Petain bestrode the sacred route,
All galvanised by strong & simple charms,
ʺThe city must be held here coute que coute!ʺ
Firm‐fisted hands
Charcoal maps with action.
ʺMonsieurs, les Allemands sont toujours a Noyon!ʺ
ʺThe nationʹs first emergency,
France with faith & fire... ATTAQUE!ʺ
Jean Francois treads the Route Sacree,
Two columns pass on the track,
His marching up to Calvary,
The other slouching back…
& heeding an old soldiers wise advice
Fought well & waivʹd the supreme sacrifice.
With Douamont another Metz,
The war within a war,
Recalling debts the Marshall nets
The ruinʹd Fort de Vaux,
Scanty reward for days idled away in blood & gore.
France
June 7 th
1916
Battle of the Somme
The Top Brass dined in rich bigwigerie,
ʺAn effort must be made to win the war!
For now we face a weaker Germany,
The hell pits at Verdun her running sore!ʺ
Over the top,
Footballs leading the way,
Thinking nothing could stop them on the Berlin way.
Brave captains, blades melded to hand,
Lead the calm, steel‐hatted rows
Cross tanglʹd miles of No Mans Land...
ʺHere they come!ʺ squawk sentry crows,
From deep redoubts singed soldiers stand
Tingling from head to toes;
‘Das Trommelfeur’ offers a rare respite,
“At last der bastards have come out to fight...”
The chatter of the Maxim gun
Some violent thunderclap,
“No soul shall run toward the Hun!”
Not present on his map,
Officers thinning on the field, ʺWell cheerio old chap!ʺ
Blighty Valley
July 1 st
1916