This is another vintage World War 1 poem by Cicely Fox Smith that has haunted me for some years. It was composed shortly after the Allied Forces withdrew their troops from their precarious beachhead on the Gallipoli Peninsular in Turkey, leaving behind thousands of their slain. The ANZAC (Australian New Zealand Army Corps soldiers made up a high proportion of the killed and wounded, as has been commemorated in "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda." But Cicely's poem is contemporaneous with the event and shows empathy, anguish, as well as a resolve to fight on if not there, somewhere else.

Here's a link to how I sing it: click here for lyrics and MP3!

Here are the lyrics as I've adapted them for singing (paste into WORD/Times/12 to line up chords):

Words by Cicely Fox Smith, © 1918
Adapted by Charles Ipcar 1/13/2011
Tune: inspired by You Gave Me a Song by Hazel Dickens
Key: F (3/D)

Farewell to Anzac

D----------------------------------C-----------------G-----------------------D
Now it's hump your swag and leave, me lads, the ships lie in the Bay;
------------------------------C----------------G---------------------A7
We've got our marching orders and it's time we're on our way;
-------D-------------------C------------------------G-------------------------D
It's a long good-bye to Anzac Beach, where blood has flowed in vain –
-----------------------------C--------------G-----------------A
For we're leaving now, leaving now, game to fight again!
--------------D---------------C-------------G----------------A-D
Yes, we're leaving now, leaving now, game to fight a-gain!


But there's some who'll never leave this bleak and bloody shore,
And some that's marched and fought with us will fight and march no more;
Their blood has paid till Judgment Day the slopes they stormed so well,
And we're leaving them, leaving them, sleeping where they fell.(2X)

Leaving them, leaving them – the bravest and the best –
Leaving them, leaving them, and maybe glad to rest!
We did our best with yesterday, tomorrow's still our own –
But we're leaving them, leaving them, sleeping all alone. (2X)

Yes, they've gone beyond all wondering, the praising and the blame;
Now many a man may win renown, but none so fair a fame;
They showed the world Australia's lads knew well the way to die,
But we're leaving them, leaving them, quiet where they lie. (2X)

Leaving them, leaving them – sleeping where they lie –
Leaving them, leaving them, in their glory and their pride;
All around the sea and hills, over them the sky –
Oh, we're leaving them, leaving them, so quiet where they lie –
Yes, we're leaving them, leaving them, so quiet where they lie.


Original words by Cicely Fox Smith, © 1918, in a book of WWI poetry called "War Verse" published in 1918 and was originally printed in "Chamber's Journal"

Farewell to Anzac

Oh, hump your swag and leave, lads, the ships are in the bay -
We've got our marching orders now, it's time to come away -
And a long good-bye to Anzac Beach -where blood has flowed in vain
For we're leaving it, leaving it, game to fight again!

But some there are will never quit this bleak and bloody shore -
And some that marched and fought with us will fight and march no more;
Their blood has bought til Judgment Day the slopes they stormed so well,
And we're leaving them, leaving them, sleeping where they fell.

Leaving them, leaving them - the bravest and the best -
Leaving them, leaving them, and maybe glad to rest!
We did our best with yesterday, tomorrow's still our own -
But we're leaving them, leaving them, sleeping all alone.

Ay, they are gone beyond it all, the praising and the blame
And many a man may win renown, but none more fair a fame;
They showed the world Australia's lads knew well the way to die;
And we're leaving them, leaving them, quiet where they lie.

Leaving them, leaving them sleeping where they lie -
Leaving them, leaving them, in their glory and their pride.
Round the sea and barren land, over them the sky -
Oh! We're leaving them, leaving them, so quiet where they lie.

I tried this one out last evening at the Press Room in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble