TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3989, 23 July 1915, Page 3

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.

(Lines written from the trenches by the only son of the late Hev. J. Hoatson, formerly of Christchurch.)

You can talk o’ Tommy Atkins. Ah’ ’is feats o’ might an’ main : ’Ow ’he waited in the trenches Psicin’ snow an’ lutin’ rain ; ’E can stick the bloomin’ weather, But ’is thoughts is jolly runt, When ’o thinks oi all them loafers — “W’Y THE DEVIL DON’T THEY COME?”

You can talk o’ Tommy Atkins, ’()w ’e drove them sneakin’ 'I ns Plight from out their firin’ trenches, Thro’ the ’ail of all their guns. But Vs alius lookin’ ’omeward, An’ ’o’d hotter just be. dumb When ’e thinks of all them slackers—“W’Y THE DEVIL DON'T THEY COME?”

You can talk o’ Tommy Atkins, Ait’ you’ll feel a sort o’ thrill . When ’eks turned them blighters ’endlong, Au’ they’ve got to “foot the bill.” But Vdi bang ’em mighty sooner, An’ vou bet Vd- make things um, If vou'blokes ’ould only ’elp ’ini—« 1 “W’Y THE DEVIL DON’T YOU COME?”

So- —when Tommy’s won ’is comfort, An’ that wildly ’appy day Brings ’im peace instead o’ murder — Drives ’is sufferin’ away; If YOU didn’t “think it needful” To show 1 as you could dare, You will shrink, an’ wendler ’opoless “W’Y THE DEVIL WEREN’T 1 THERE?” —STANLEY B. HOATSON (sth North Staffs. Battalion).