A Call from Gallipoli

Southern Times [Bunbury WA] 30 September, 1915.
Why not enlist today boys ?
Why not a hero be ?
Hark to your comrades calling
From far Gallipoli.

Come over lads and help us ;
We need you now—today,
Must we bear all the battles,
While you stay at home and play ?
Are not your homes in peril,
Your King and Country, too ?
Come over, lads and help us,
We will gladly welcome you.

Oh ! won't you heed their pleading
Your pals from the Dardanelles ?
Won't you go and join them
Among the shot and shells ?
Prove worthy of your manhood,
Don't let them bear all the fray,
Your King and comrades need you—
Go and enlist today.

'Tis grand to think they are helping
In their country's hour of need,
To know that they are worthy sons
Of the Empire's Bulldog breed ;
"Up lads, and let us at "em ;"
Hear their Imshi Yalla ring,
As up Galipoli's rocky slope,
Our lads in khaki swing.

Their faces all turned upwards,
They never once look back,
As on they struggle bravely,
Up that deadly fire-swept track ;
Their comrades fall around them,
Riddled with shot and shell,
Still on they press to avenge them,
Our lads of the Dardanelles.

Won't you enlist today, boys,
And the gaps at Gallipoli fill,
And loyally do your duty
To crush out Kaiser Bill ?
Do you want Prussian rule here
'Neath our sunny skies of blue ?
Go, lad, fight for your country,
Your comrades call for you.

Why not enlist today boys,
When you know your country's need ?
When mother and child cry "Avenge us !"
Will you excuses plead ?
Shame on you, shirkers of duty,
To let them cry in vain
For vengeance on our enemy
For all their noble slain.

Does not their pleading touch you ?
Does it hot reach your heart ?
Or our daily Roll of Honor
Inspire you to your part
In saving our Fair Australia
From deadly Prussian sway ?
Go and enlist today.

Now lads, your comrades need you—
Many a noble deed has been done
By hands now folded in death ;
Many a tender farewell unheard
Has been breathed by a dying breath
Hundreds of V.C. heroes
Lie in unknown graves,
For they, unseen, have given their lives,
A comrade's life to save.

Go and avenge our heroes,
Who Tor Truth and Justice fall,
Our heroes of Fair Australia,
Our lads of the Dardanelles ;
Think how for you they suffered
On that awful April day ;

Go lad it is your duty—
Go and enlist today.
All honor to them and glory,
Our lads of the Dardanelles ;
May our son's sons tell the story
Of how they fought and fell.

Notes

J. F. WILLIAMS. "N.S.W. Railway and Tramway Budget."  

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