15 May 1917
It appears that the men of Bill's section sent this poem to him in May 1917, a few weeks after he arrived in England. He must have written to them about some of his early experiences in England, perhaps including an account of a pass to London.
The men in Bill's section must certainly have held him in high esteem. A lot of thought and effort obviously went into this. It's fun to imagine the men in his section all gathered together, maybe in a dugout, perhaps in a rest area, laughing together as they contributed their ideas to this poem.
I suppose it doesn't really matter who actually wrote it. They likely all had a hand in it.
I have the original copy of this letter.
The men in Bill's section must certainly have held him in high esteem. A lot of thought and effort obviously went into this. It's fun to imagine the men in his section all gathered together, maybe in a dugout, perhaps in a rest area, laughing together as they contributed their ideas to this poem.
I suppose it doesn't really matter who actually wrote it. They likely all had a hand in it.
I have the original copy of this letter.
[Envelope]
Verses sent by W Satchell
composed by the 19th Sigs
to "Billy" leaving them to join a cadet school at Cambridge. April 1917
[Page 1]
15/5/17
Dear Bill,
Oh we were a merry section
And were always full of glee
But a cloud of gloom appeared
For our Bill's gone o'er the sea.
Yes he's gone across to blighty
But we'd like you all to know
It's not only lust for pleasure
That has made our Billy go.
Now just attend me closely
And the reasons plain I'll make
Why an Anzac's blood got heated
Just why Billy made a break.
We'd been hearing wondrous stories
Told of "Dinkums" over there
Tales of flight, and wine, and women,
Tales that made our Billy swear.
And we heard that these 'ere Dinkums
Had been spreading yarns around
How they met and vanquished Turkey
Yarns of blood stained battle ground.
[Page 2]
How they filled the Hun with terror
How they flashed their golden A's
Their wounded stripes they flashed around
And Bill said "Spare me days."
Then his brow grew black as thunder
And indignant like he said
"Oh for half a day in Blighty
I would give my blanky head."_
"Oh how I'd whip the bounce in
How I'd make the beggar dance
Wouldn't I just let them know
There's war across in France."
And now it's come to pass you see
And Bill, he's gone afar
He tried to stuff us with the joke
He went to find a star.
But whispers now and then we hear
Of how he swanks about
The War Department fell to bits
The Dinkums cleared out.
[Page 3]
He scintillates along the Strand
He frowns on Leicester Square
There's hardly room, thinks dinkum Bill
For he and Nelson there.
A "Dinkum Anzac" passed him by
A "Tabby" well in tow
Resplendent with two flashing A's
Three wounded ships to show.
The tabby sighted Bill, she liked
The look of Mars about him
The Anzac paused and looked at Bill
As if he'd like to clout him.
"Come on" said he "don't waste your time
In catching such as he
No doubt a reinforcement, while
There's Anzacs round, like me!!
Well strike me fat, you oughter seen
The look on Billy's face
'E 'adn't got no flashing A's
Nor bits of golden lace.
[Page 4]
It didn't come to blows of course
For Billy ain't that sort,
But bitter looks! And willin' words!!
You should a heard 'im snort.
But anyhow right soon was seen
That Anzac slinkin' off
And Billy guidin' that there tart
Just like a bloomin' toff.
Another time, I b'lieve it's true
When he was out sham-fightin'
A bloke comes up and sees to Bill
In hopes to get 'im skitin'.
"I s'pose is comes quite soft to you
This 'umpin' of your pack,
In Ausy blokes quite often 'as
Their goods upon their back?"
This didn't suit our dinkum Bill
In banks he's been a clerk
To be mistook for "bagman Bill"
To him it weren't no lark.
[Page 5]
"Don't make no blinkin' error lad"
He barked at that there bloke,
You oughter seen that bloke clear out
Afore Bill 'ardly spoke.
Now although he shoves his chest out
Well it ain't no empty claim,
'E's a Super Dinkum Anzac
And a credit to the name.
They say he's coming back to France
All in the days to come
And if he does, believe me lad
Then things will fairly hum.
But Douglas Haig and Marshall Joff
They won't give Bill a chance
They think they'll lose their their cushy jobs
If 'e gets back to France.
But any'ow we'll drink 'is health
Or p'raps we'll have to bite it
In bully beef and army bread
It makes me sad to write it.
[Page 6]
But whichever way we 'ave to do
The sentiment's the same
"Our Super Dinkum Anzac Bill,
A credit to the name."
Yours fthfly [faithfully]
The Idiot
Verses sent by W Satchell
composed by the 19th Sigs
to "Billy" leaving them to join a cadet school at Cambridge. April 1917
[Page 1]
15/5/17
Dear Bill,
Oh we were a merry section
And were always full of glee
But a cloud of gloom appeared
For our Bill's gone o'er the sea.
Yes he's gone across to blighty
But we'd like you all to know
It's not only lust for pleasure
That has made our Billy go.
Now just attend me closely
And the reasons plain I'll make
Why an Anzac's blood got heated
Just why Billy made a break.
We'd been hearing wondrous stories
Told of "Dinkums" over there
Tales of flight, and wine, and women,
Tales that made our Billy swear.
And we heard that these 'ere Dinkums
Had been spreading yarns around
How they met and vanquished Turkey
Yarns of blood stained battle ground.
[Page 2]
How they filled the Hun with terror
How they flashed their golden A's
Their wounded stripes they flashed around
And Bill said "Spare me days."
Then his brow grew black as thunder
And indignant like he said
"Oh for half a day in Blighty
I would give my blanky head."_
"Oh how I'd whip the bounce in
How I'd make the beggar dance
Wouldn't I just let them know
There's war across in France."
And now it's come to pass you see
And Bill, he's gone afar
He tried to stuff us with the joke
He went to find a star.
But whispers now and then we hear
Of how he swanks about
The War Department fell to bits
The Dinkums cleared out.
[Page 3]
He scintillates along the Strand
He frowns on Leicester Square
There's hardly room, thinks dinkum Bill
For he and Nelson there.
A "Dinkum Anzac" passed him by
A "Tabby" well in tow
Resplendent with two flashing A's
Three wounded ships to show.
The tabby sighted Bill, she liked
The look of Mars about him
The Anzac paused and looked at Bill
As if he'd like to clout him.
"Come on" said he "don't waste your time
In catching such as he
No doubt a reinforcement, while
There's Anzacs round, like me!!
Well strike me fat, you oughter seen
The look on Billy's face
'E 'adn't got no flashing A's
Nor bits of golden lace.
[Page 4]
It didn't come to blows of course
For Billy ain't that sort,
But bitter looks! And willin' words!!
You should a heard 'im snort.
But anyhow right soon was seen
That Anzac slinkin' off
And Billy guidin' that there tart
Just like a bloomin' toff.
Another time, I b'lieve it's true
When he was out sham-fightin'
A bloke comes up and sees to Bill
In hopes to get 'im skitin'.
"I s'pose is comes quite soft to you
This 'umpin' of your pack,
In Ausy blokes quite often 'as
Their goods upon their back?"
This didn't suit our dinkum Bill
In banks he's been a clerk
To be mistook for "bagman Bill"
To him it weren't no lark.
[Page 5]
"Don't make no blinkin' error lad"
He barked at that there bloke,
You oughter seen that bloke clear out
Afore Bill 'ardly spoke.
Now although he shoves his chest out
Well it ain't no empty claim,
'E's a Super Dinkum Anzac
And a credit to the name.
They say he's coming back to France
All in the days to come
And if he does, believe me lad
Then things will fairly hum.
But Douglas Haig and Marshall Joff
They won't give Bill a chance
They think they'll lose their their cushy jobs
If 'e gets back to France.
But any'ow we'll drink 'is health
Or p'raps we'll have to bite it
In bully beef and army bread
It makes me sad to write it.
[Page 6]
But whichever way we 'ave to do
The sentiment's the same
"Our Super Dinkum Anzac Bill,
A credit to the name."
Yours fthfly [faithfully]
The Idiot