Shiny buttons, clean uniforms,
With fresh faced excitement they marched
A brave new world waited
They were heroes.

The mud was everywhere
This wasn’t what they had planned
All shaken with fear
They were heroes

Cold coursed through them
The smell too much to bear
Damp rotted their boots
They were heroes

Blood from new wounds
Watching their friends quiver in agony
Death circled the air
They were heroes

At home their wives waited
Their children said their prayers
Mothers wept for them
Neighbours with ignorant white feathers

They were heroes.