10 million soldiers crossed the great divide
During 'the war to end all wars'
4 years of carnage left the world without pride
A global conflict without remorse
Men degraded to cattle
Forced into combat
Used as pawns just to hold the line
Down in the muddy trenches
While falling prey to the plague
Along the endless Western Front
Wave after wave
Into the ceaseless line of fire
Wave after wave
Across the barren 'No Man's Land'
Where men were condemned to wither,
Or forced to find a quicker death on top
Clashing bayonets under darkening skies
Running scared to an uncertain doom
Heading towards 'a thousand yard stare'
Shell-shocked beyond redemption
Trying to avoid a tragic destiny
Beyond their 6-week life expectancy
Through holes and ditches
Grounds covered with bodies
Decaying limbs, festering lands
Buried beneath the fallen
Dirty knives and flooded rifles
Tons of shrapnel and debris
Where men were condemned to wither,
Or forced to find a quicker death on top
Clashing bayonets under darkening skies
Running scared to an uncertain doom
'The Devil Gun' fired with relentless pride
'Landships' forever changed the face of war
Deafening blasts across the English Channel
A conflict never seen before
This is the face of inhumanity
Redefined on the battlefield
Thus not forget the songs of bravery
The heart ship of the infantry