Private W Fuller

You have heard of British victories,
And no doubt you have read,
How many of our brave comrades
Lie numbered with the dead.
To add to these great victories,
This one I’m going to tell
How us lads of the 7th Suffolks
Pulled through a living hell.

Many of our brave lads lie sleeping,
Still a few remain
To tell of this brave battle,
From ……. Up to ………,
It’s not of air raids on London,
Or any other town,
But the battle the 7th Suffolks won,
Near the Hohenzollen Redoubt.

It was on the ……
We lined up to attack
And not a man amongst us,
Would have thought of turning back.
At twelve o’clock that morning,
Our hearts were beating fast
As we stood firm with our bayonets fixed,
Waiting to carry out our task.

Twas opened by our artillery,
With many numerous guns,
Set to destroy the trenches.
Held by the German Huns,
After two hours stiff bombardment,
An order came soft and low,
To charge the line of trenches,
Held by the German foe.

Midst sounds of battle raging,
And the flash of bursting shell,
How we managed to advance,
I really cannot tell:
But when we reached their trenches,
The Germans turned and fled,
Leaving all behind them,
Their dying and the dead.

Several hours the brutes bombarded,
But we all of us confess,
That each and every one of us,
Hung on and did our best
There were other regiments in it,
Each man was proud we know,
To add such laurels to our flag,
We still and will uphold.

The Suffolks took the centre,
The ……. took the right,
The … was on our left
And held their own all right :
But there is one more regiment,
I have not mentioned yet,
The gallant 9th Essex,
That’s the name they get.