From the cradle to the grave
70 years ago on July one 1916 on the Somme
The enemies had never seen fighting like this before
Such a simple plan--
How could any german man
survive through that ordeal?
Company 'A' to Company 'B'
"Morale is high here, sir, but I don't think it's safe to go"
Company 'A' from Company 'B'
"Mister you have your orders and you must obey"
So the first line rose, and the first line fell
And a poet who survived later wrote about
A "Sunlit vision of Hell"
And "Larks singing"
Because after all it's just another summer's day in France
And the Tommies on the Somme sang
"We are fighting to turn no-man's land into a common ground"
A common ground
