FAR FAR FROM YPRES FIRST HALF Pages 3,4 and 5
Kitchener was on the look-out for volunteers…..millions of volunteers. "Your King and Country need you".
During this time young Jimmy MacDonald was courting a young lass and didn’t care much about talk of war, but he was soon forced to listen. When he saw the recruiting posters, when he heard the music hall songs and when he talked to his friends, there was only one thing he wanted to do and that was to enlist in a Scottish regiment, but, be quick, Jimmy, or you’ll miss the war and the glory that goes with it:
We've watched you playing cricket
And every kind of game,
At football golf and polo.
You men have made your name;
But now your country calls you
To play your part in war.
And no matter what befalls you
We shall love you all the more.
So come and join the forces
As your fathers did before.
Oh, we don't want to lose you.
But we think you ought to go,
For your King and your country
Both need you so.
We shall want you, and miss you.
But with all our might and main
We shall cheer you.
Thank you, kiss you.
When you come back again.
Narrator
The Recruiting Sergeants were rewarded for each recruit they could attract, so the volunteer’s age was often over-looked. Whole communities could join local regiments called “Pals regiments” and Kitchener certainly needed young Jimmy MacDonald and his pals:
Victory Parade G
Down the road and o'er the bridge
I ran as fast as my legs could take me
All the lads were running there
To join the British army
Just out front was young MacDonald
Brave as a fool and twice as carefree
Racing neck and neck together
Laughing all the way
Black Watch, Highland, Royal Scots Greys
The whole town cheered as we marched away
Bring us back a medal
Bring us back a medal
Bring us back a medal for the Victory Parade
Sign here boys you're lucky son
You might get there before we've won
All you heroes get in line
To join the British army
Passendale and the Somme
They'll not wait, so don't be long
And you'll be home by Christmas
Back before you've gone
Black Watch, Highland, Royal Scots Greys
The whole town cheered as we marched away
Bring us back a medal
Bring us back a medal
Bring us back a medal for the victory Parade
Narrator
More recruitment was still needed and high profile acts of heroism came to the fore. In a period of twenty-four hours, the Fifteenth Battalion, the H.L.I. was formed— entirely by volunteers from the Glasgow Transport Department. During the course of the war, well over 3,000 men left the department to join the forces. One in six of these men were never to return. Then to Edinburgh. Sixteen players from the Heart of Midlothian Football Club joined up, most of them enlisting in the 16th Battalion of Royal Scots. As men rushed to arms, many questioned why football was continuing and Sir George McCrae, a popular figure in the city, announced that he would raise a battalion himself - the 16th Royal Scots. "Heart of Midlothian" players led the way and at least 30 professional footballers enlisted. This song was written in 1915 by Private George Blaney of the 16th Royal Scots:
Geordie McCrae 4C
Kaiser Bill he came marching o'er Belgium and France
To challenge the Empire with warlike advance,
So the bravest of Hearts volunteered for the fray
And threw in their lot with old Geordie McCrae!
Come pack up your footballs and scarves of maroon,
Leave all your sweethearts in Auld Reekie Toun,
Fall in wi' the lads for they're off and away,
To TAKE on the Hun wi' old Geordie McCrae.
Just a twelve month ago Private Wattie was said
To be sure of a national cap for his head
Now he wears the Glengarry right proud of the day
That he marched to the standard of Geordie McCrae
Come pack up your footballs and scarves of maroon,
Leave all your sweethearts in Auld Reekie Toun,
Fall in wi' the lads for they're off and away,
To TAKE on the Hun wi' old Geordie McCrae.
Now five hundred good comrades lie buried afar,
And we who are left have to carry the scars,
Though our wounds might be sair, at the end of the day
We would gang once again with old Geordie McCrae
Come pack up your footballs and scarves of maroon,
Leave all your sweethearts in Auld Reekie Toun,
Fall in wi' the lads for they're off and away,
To TAKE on the Hun wi' old Geordie McCrae.
Come pack up your footballs and scarves of maroon,
Leave all your sweethearts in Auld Reekie Toun,
Fall in wi' the lads for they're off and AWAY, (4 bars)
To TAKE on the Hun with old Geordie McCrae.
Narrator
Seven members of the Hearts’ first team were killed in action and it should be remembered that many Scottish rugby internationalists also lost their lives in the war. On the Western Front the weapons were getting more sophisticated and one of the deadliest was known to the troops as the “Whizz Bang”. The name was originally attributed to the 77mm German Field gun but it was a term used to describe all field artillery shells when the sound of the shell passing came before the sound of the gun itself.
Hush, here comes a whizz bang.
Hush, here comes a whizz bang; QUIET! WELL-DEFINED
Now you soldier men
Get down those stairs,
Down in your dugouts
And say your prayers
Hush, here comes a whizz bang
And it's making straight for you;
And you'll see all the wonders
Of No Man's Land
If a whizz bang BANG hits you.
ALL
Hush, here comes a whizz bang.
Hush, here comes a whizz bang;
Now you soldier men
Get down those stairs,
Down in your dugouts
And say your prayers
Hush, here comes a whizz bang
And it's making straight for you;
And you'll see all the wonders
Of No Man's Land
If a whizz bang BANG hits you.
Bombed last night, and bombed the night before
Gonna get bombed tonight, if we never get bombed anymore.
When we're bombed, we're scared as scared can be.
Oh God damn the bombing squads, from High Germany.
UNISON
They’re over us, they're over us, one shell hole for the four of us.
Glory be to God there are no more of us
'Cause one of us could fill it all alone.
HARMONY
They’re over us, they're over us, one shell hole for the four of us.
Glory be to God there are no more of us
'Cause one of us could fill it all alone.
Gassed last night and gassed the night before.
Gonna get gassed again if we never get gassed any more.
When we're gassed, we're sick as we can be,
Phosgene and mustard gas, is too much for me.
UNISON
They're warning us they're warning us.
One respirator for the four of us.
Glory be to God, that three of us can run;
So one of us can use it all alone.
HARMONY
They're warning us they're warning us.