The Silent Navy

[Administrator]

The Silent Navy;

'You can brag of your glorious Army
And glorious Air Force too.
But did you ever think of the Navy
And the job they have to do.

No sane man ever sails those seas
And expects to live it through
So thank your stars
You have fool tars
Who wear the Navy Blue.

We don't fly over your city
Or march with a heavy pack
But the Navy brings you there
And the Navy brings you back.

No frantic crowds to see us off
No commotion in the town
And when we're lost in action
It's just another ship gone down.

There's no more than a whistle
As we shove off silently to sea
To protect your precious merchant fleet
From the ruthless enemy.

We face the cold Atlantic
The ice bergs snow and sleet
No matter what the sacrifice
For us there's no retreat.

We're tossed about by the angry seas
And battered by the run
Bombed by enemy aircraft
And blasted by their gun.

It's freezing on the upper deck
And hot as hell below
We're seasick, bruised and battered
But the convoy must go through.

We guard your vital food supplies
Your planes and guns and tanks
For your existence over there
To Merchant Boys give thanks.

Give credit to your Army
And Air Force where its due
But we'd like you to remember
That you have a Navy too."

Poem: The Silent Navy, Raymond Doucette RCN, 1943