adventure we thought when we answered the drum
not the journey to hell shortly to come
how proudly we marched in the king’s uniform
we sailed on the tide the hour before dawn
colours were raised and banners unfurled
vainglorious shrines to the sins of the world
how we long for our families from whom we are torn
never so much as the hour before dawn
both the living and dead share the mud of this trench
no words can been penned for the horror and stench
what god allows evil like this to be spawned
still i pray for my life the hour before dawn
a young british corporal deserted his gun
two years in this war and not yet twenty one
they called him a coward and held him to scorn
then shot the poor bastard the hour before dawn
come light i will kill as many i can
the same flesh as me no different a man
tell me who is the righteous and who is the pawn
what difference it makes the hour before dawn
should i make it home to the loved ones i yearn
the boy they farewelled, he can never return
he was lost on these fields with the thousands we mourn
another who fell the hour before dawn
when you tell of our courage and the hardship we faced
speak first and speak loud of the terrible waste
pass down our stories to those not yet born
pray they be spared the hour before dawn