O’LEARY, V.C.

New Zealand Tablet, 13 May 1915, Page 29

O’LEARY, V.C.

I was reading in Homer last night about Troy, How Hector was slain by Minerva's decoy, And I thought to myself what the story would, be If Achilles had met with O'Leary, V.C. For the guns were well manned, so, too, were the trees, And the German can shoot, let them say what they please ; So true was their aim, from each gun and each tree —■ Hut here comes the hero, O'Leary, V.C. 'lrish Guards, rush the guns!' was received" with a, cheer; The order was waited, or so 'twould appear, For away swept the Guards like a wave of the sea, And in front of them all was O'Leary, V.C. The first gun wheeled'round, but before it could sight What a change in the scene ! How I wish I could write ! Bang! bang! and he sprang over two and then,three, And loud' was the cheer for O'Leary, V.C. Now gun Number Two was all thunder and fire, But on rushed the Guards, still nigher and nigher, Till the foremost, like lightning, dropped down on his knee, , " ' I'll soon stop that row,' said O'Leary, V.C. Three Prussians tripped into the holes they had made, So that out of ten marksmen, full eight missed parade The snipers had fled, when they saw from each tree The mortal hall-marks of O'Leary, V.C. The machines were secured and made ready for use, And the Guardsmen leapt round like school boys let loose ; When two gunners marched up, looking anxious to flee, But behind, with his, gun, came O'Leary, V.C. ' Just think,' said Von Klick, ' we were told by Von Kluck, The contemptible Guards had no practice or pluck— After all our manoeuvres, on the banks of the Spree, To be caught and marched off by O'Leary, V.C " Twas the Kaiser misled him,' said Hans, ' but don't tell, • For himself is approaching to sound their death-knell.' ' If you e'er see the Kaiser, go tell him from me, That we'll meet in Berlin,' said O'Leary, V.C. May 7. " W. F.