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Heritage: A Poem by Bernard Fergusson |
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Dedicated to the memory of those soldiers of Scotland who, Down the ages, have died fighting for the causes in which they believed. I would also dedicate this poem and page to those warriors not only of Scottish descent but also of all nationalities, who have given their lives for their beliefs. 'Black Watch in action eleven hours today. Severe casualties inflicted on enemy. Own killed: two officers, twenty-four men. Details later'- Chindit Official Telegram. Heritage
Another field is fought; a little fight Not to be famed in chronicles of war, Not to be noticed in the News tonight Nor cabled eagerly to lands afar. Only upon the regimental scrolls Begun long since, the day of Fontenoy, Among old skirmishes and lost patrols They will record tonight this latest ploy.
Now where today the sun blazed overhead, In the cool evening moving to and fro Their comrades bury the immortal dead For ever from the sight of friend and foe, And round them in the darkness sentries stand And watch with tired eyes and straining ears, Even as long ago in our old land. Their weary kinsfolk leaned upon their spears.
In old wild days, if one should chance to fall, The son caught up the broadsword of the slain, Girt on the dirk and the accoutrements all And saw to it the ranks were whole again; So now, as sure as when in ancient days Brave youth espoused the patriarchal feud, Still, in the fashion of our modern ways, The oath of Aberfeldy is renewed.
We know not yet the comrades who are down, Who are the two and who the twenty-four That shall not see again the country town, The pithead or the cothouse or the moor, From whence they came to fill their father's place, To keep the long heroic line unbroke, The seed, the fruit, the harvest of their race, The latest warriors of a fighting folk.
From such small battles was a Kingdom built, By such bold forays was a Border held, By men in hodden gray or tattered kilt Who knew defeat, but knew not to be quelled; And they that fell today were of a blood That cannot all be drunk by greedy earth, And whoso fell in honour where he stood Fulfilled the purpose of his warrior birth.
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