A CHRISTMAS APPEAL FRAE THE FRONT.

Tha rhyme am gantae share wae yese at this festive sayson o tha year is yin tha wus sent frae tha front lines in France awa bak in 1916. A thocht it wus fittin wae sae mony young yins awa fechtin in Afganhistan an tha lake.

A CHRISTMAS APPEAL FRAE THE FRONT.

My muse she wears the beggar's badge,
For, 'pon my faith, she's on the cadge.
Tho' bardies a' they  may rampage At me
I still intend wi' ye tae lodge My plea.

We've some excuses for our crime
Since we've committed it in ryhme ;
Besides, it is the Christmas time.
A double dole
Is beggar's due in every clime
Frae pole tae pole.

The public hae been mair than guid,
(The cash box early lost its lid).
That we're unworthy, Heaven forbid,
Yer gifts or money !
An' he can gie us his hearts bluid, 
Poor Tommy !

My mates an' I we dinna fash
Aboot fitba' or any trash.
(In fact, we haenae time tae wash)
Oor greatest plight
Is want o' lamps tae gae a flash at nicht.

Whene'er the Germans rival hell
We are the lads tak' up the shell ;
At nicht we gallop of pell-mell
Through wat an' mud
Ower roads that luk'd aboot as well
In Noah's flood.

Noo, should the public heed my plea.
I want some scores o' lamps, ye see,
My mates an' I maist thankfully
Will them accept
If not, we will still happy be
Wae what we get.

For we're as cheerful as can be
An' through the glar up tae the knee
We lauch an' joke wi' muckle g'ee
Determin'd tae swim
Through mud and Germans  one tae three
Until we've won.

                       Gunner R. J. M'Lean
75th B. A. C. Guards Division. B. E. F. France