SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 28, 24 September 1920, Page 1

SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE.

(By Allen Tucker).

By the banks of the Marne, Under the ragged flags, In the green graves, The dead slept. Again was heard the sound of war. Clarions, clarions, clarions, Calling, Calling, calling, And the rolling drums. The dead stirred. And now the noise of guns, Roaring, renderiug, breaking, Coming ever nearer, Again the German guns. The dead stirred. Then from the clarions Sudden the piercing , cry, 'l.Aux armes, citoyens!" The dead uprose. Th,e spirits and souls of the soldier dead ; From the little lonely graves, From the great crowded graves, The gallant ghosts arose, Free, clear, serenely gay, The spirits rose and fought again for France. In the air, Through the ranks, Witli the guns, Everywhere, Invisible, intangible, impalpable, indestructible. Under the flag they had died to save, Defending friends and brothers, Helping, guarding, quickening The men of the New World; And when victory was won, Once more in their quiet graves, the dead slept.