A-Defendin' o Their Little Bit
o' Ditch.
I will r.ot wnte of bygone dry?, when -voluntoeis were thought A useless \vas*o of money ard of tuiic, I v.ill j.ot write of Mch t!urig=, 'cau'-e I think they'iebbetect fcrgot, To re'cJect we'd reckon wa<= a crime We know row that they didn't jme to get a biooiniu' gun, An' strut about iv stars and stnpe9 an' sich, We know now where to find 'em when there's fighlin' to be done, A-defendin' o' their little bit o' ditch. We've read it in the papers as the latest from the front, We've talked about it in the street au' pub, In the fact'ry an' the ware'oiise, how the seventh bore the biunt. While we're eatin' o' our little bit o' grub. We've rend as it was Bothasberg where they had their little scrap, Where the se\eiith m gallantry were rich. Where they were part responsible for a-takm' o' ths lot, While defendiu' o' their little bit o' ditch. We've read as how De "Wet at midnight rushed their poA , He thought to soit o' 'atch them unaware, He sent his cattle fo/ard as the vanguard of his host, But the boy« if tiie seventh thoy weie there. "Shoot the bally ctttle fiist," was the order that they got, "Let them know we understand it's which." The seieiUh lowerec 1 their rifles, an' the baily - cattle shot. While defeadm' o' then htt!e bit o' ditch. Canada, Australia, Xew Zealand, an' the Cape Have sent their sons to bear the battle's brunt; * Now we know that 111 New Zealand they're a-weaiin' bits o' crape Since the sens w<ts -Caned o\ er from th" front. We know r.ow that they're sleepin' 011 the wild an' tiackle<=s veldt, Among tLe rugg-ed kopjes, ston-'o an' sich , We know they dud like hciocs with thc.r faci-s to the ioe. A-defendm' o' their little bit o' ditch — MC. ilidd'emarch, March 17.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW19020326.2.203.3
Bibliographic details
Otago Witness, Issue 2505, 26 March 1902, Page 73
Word Count
321A-Defendin' o Their Little Bit Otago Witness, Issue 2505, 26 March 1902, Page 73
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.