MEN POSTED MISSING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 113, 4 June 1941, Page 4

MEN POSTED MISSING

Sir, —It has been a sad week for so many New Zealand homes. So many men—each somebody's darling —have been "posted missing." Ia most cases, it appears, these men t have had the misfortune to become*, prisoners of war. So it was in every past war. Why, Winston Churchill was captured by the Boers in 1899, but had the good luck to escape and win fame and fortune. Seventy odd years ago when the American Civil War was dragging on for several years a song hit, presumably composed by a prisoner of war, was "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, the Boys are Marching." Don't you think, Mr Editor,, 5 that, it is appropriate for singing ati-the present time, -most people !i know he tune and chorus.. The words are as follows -: 1 Jf, •«'•; .. ! In the prison cell I sit, Thinking, mother dear, of you, And our bright and happy home so far away,. And the tears they fiy my eyes, Spite of ail that I can do. Though I try to cheer my comrades and be gay. Chorus Tramp, tramp, tramp, the boys are matching v Cheer up, - comrades, they will come,. And beneath the starry flag We shall breathe the air again Df the ; free land in-our own beloved home. ; " : Well, it might just as easily, have been written by the boys who coultl not be? cjvacuiated from Greece—except that they are probably, not the sort to wfite songsi. We stay-at-~he>mes~jcian that. However tha men posted missing, will long for the day when they do really hear the tramp of march-* ing feet,; the: march of' the boys who will eventually march into Berlin. Meanwhile, it is up to those in civil life; to do still more to. make victory sure—and soon. What does everybody think about my idea of adding "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp," to the list of songs of the moment ? : yours etc.. 1 MARCH ON".