Okay, I don't see my version in the above lot. Unfortunately, I can't remember where I got it from.

SAILOR'S ALPHABET

A is for anchor we carry on our bow,
B is for bowsprit, the jibs all lie low,
C is for capstan which we run around,
And D's for the davits to lower the boats down

Merrily, cheerily, so merry are we,
No mortal on earth like a sailor at sea,
Heave away, haul away, hey do or damn,
Give a sailor his grog and there's nothing goes wrong.

E is for ensign which at our peak flew,
F is for fo'c's'le where lies all our crew,
G is the galley where coffee smells strong,
And H is the halliards we all pull on.

I is for island where we run aground,
J is for jollyboat so safe and so sound,
K is the knightshead where the shantyman stands,
And L is the leeside hard found by new hands.

M is for mainmast so stout and so strong,
N is for northpoint which never points wrong,
O's for the oars to the boats they belong,
And P's for the pumps as we all jog on.

Q is for quadrant where officers pace,
R is for ratlins up which we do race,
S is the sternpost the rudder sits on,
And T is for tops'ls to steady us along.

U is for Union to which we are tied,
V is for Venus which now we pass by,
W's the wheel to keep us in time,
And the other three letters they don't come in rhyme.


I have recorded from old soldiers several versions of the Artillery Alphabet which is closely related. (See the Yorkshire Garland website for info on these) Which came first I don't know but the sailor version is much more common. I also have a version of the Sailor's Alphabet from an old sea captain.