Home Lads Home

Subject: Home Lads Home
From: mikesamwild
Date: 09 Jan 12 - 07:50 AM

The War Horse film prompted me to return to the great song set by Sarah Morgan to the 1916 poem by Cecily Fox-Smith. It appears that the words said it was in Flanders later it became India.
Nice youtube version from Warwick Festival , Belshazzar's Feast 2011.

Subject: RE: Home Lads Home
From: GUEST,AlanG
Date: 09 Jan 12 - 07:56 AM

"Behind a trench in Flanders" was certainly what Cicely Fox-Smith wrote.

Subject: RE: Home Lads Home
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Jan 12 - 09:56 AM

There was a discussion in the thread Lyr Add: Home lads Home/Homeward

The words to the poem as it was when Sara Morgan set it to her tune: In the DT Where There's Rest for Horse and Man
And, also in the DT:

Cicely Fox Smith's poem with commentary by Sarah Morgan

Subject: RE: Home Lads Home
From: Dead Horse
Date: 10 Jan 12 - 04:24 AM

This was (is?) one of the regimental tunes of the Royal Horse Artillery.
I dont know where I snipped this bit from:-

"There was a persistent legend of an angel appearing to retreating British troops at Mons in 1914.
In truth the fighting was never more than "a mile or two from Mons" but there was a famous skirmish during the retreat during which hundreds of horses and men were killed which makes that line of the song most poignant.
That day a clearing of the mist suddenly revealed to the attacking Germans some British cavalry, and a battery of horse artillery (L Battery RHA) with the men in bivouacs and the horses picketed.
The 12 German guns present poured fire in to the dream target causing unimaginable carnage.
L Battery was rapidly reduced from 4 guns to one, but this gun kept on firing for an hour against the 12 until no one lived to serve it.
Their efforts turned the tide against the attackers."

I had the dubious privilege to serve in Northern Ireland with L Battery in 1972.

Subject: RE: Home Lads Home
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Jan 12 - 08:01 AM

Dead Horse-

Thanks for providing more background to this great poem.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Home Lads Home
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 10 Jan 12 - 08:07 AM

I dont know where I snipped this bit from:-
It was my post 24 Sep 01 - 02:19 PM

Subject: RE: Home Lads Home
From: Dead Horse
Date: 10 Jan 12 - 04:40 PM

Ooops. Sorry Keith. It went to a good place.....:-)

Subject: RE: Home Lads Home
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 11 Jan 12 - 02:47 AM

A couple of posts down (Lyr Add thread linked above)I reported that a an L Battery gun from that engagement can be seen at the Imperial War Museum.
Must be of interest to a Gunner of that very battery.

Subject: RE: Home Lads Home
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 11 Jan 12 - 10:04 AM

Also, the limber from the last gun firing is at Duxford.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarge_schultz/2353789802/

Picture.http://www.flickr.com/photos/31228487@N07/4845876500/

Subject: RE: Home Lads Home
From: Charley Noble
Date: 16 Jan 12 - 04:48 PM

Here's a link to the original poem as composed by Cicely Fox Smith posted on her page at Allpoetry with my favorite World War 1 photo of the artillery horses moving down the road: click here for poem and photo

Cheerily,
Charley Noble