EGYPTIAN BLUES
We were in barrack when we got the call
Ok lads, overseas we’re going, long, short and tall
On the ship for days and days
Where we would finish was just a haze
Although we were Cyprus bound
Egypt we finished with live rounds
In a place of sand, flies and perimeter wires
Donkeys, camels and stanna swires
Guarding places day and night
Morning came, we looked a sight
Tired and sweaty, and mozzie bitten
We had no more strength than a kitten
Every morning shake our hobnails
Looking for scorpions with stinging tails
Check our bedding of three biscuits
For any other form of misfits
The sound coming from the minarets
It was as bad as it gets
Then one day we left El Ballah
And took with us the dobi wallah
Our KD was full of starch
We wore denims on the march
Going to the Bitter Lakes
We swam and smoked a couple of fakes
Then off we marched back to our billets
For tiffin we had mackerel fillets
Smell the hashish locals were smoking
Would we try it – you must be joking!
We were to stay in this hell hole
To get to Blighty was our goal
We ate the bread, we’d swat the flies
Till the day came to take to the skies
To our mockers we said farewell
Sad in a way this tale to tell
We left the land that we hated all
For good old England we stood tall
So welcome to the milk and honey
When we look back it seems to funny
No one knows what we went through
Unless they served in Suez too
- Eric Woolley