Post by Administrator on Apr 25, 2024 20:57:29 GMT
THE PADDLE STEAMER MEDWAY QUEEN
She is the Medway Queen - popular and fast,
With a jaunty rake of funnel and bunting from the mast,
The waving of the passengers leaning on the rail,
And jingle of the telegraph when about to sail.
Weathered canvas dodgers and lifebelts red and white,
Ensign flying proudly on halyard whipping tight,
Paddles swooshing easily foaming as they churn,
Leaving wake ruler straight, trailing there astern.
Captain’s orders from the bridge open to the weather,
Fascinating engines steaming `hell for leather`,
Called upon in wartime years for most valiant work,
She became the `Heroine` active at Dunkirk.
Seven thousand men she saved in terrifying times,
When diverted from her war task of sweeping up the mines,
Earning crew awards for staving off the dread,
And shooting down the enemy flying overhead.
Triple were her furnaces - Scotch boiler down below,
When built upon the Clyde ninety years ago,
She changed from burning coal, back in `thirty eight,
Using now red diesel to push along her freight.
Fifteen knots her best speed steaming there and back,
From Chatham down to Clacton then a homeward tack,
To the wooden piers she’d regularly deliver,
On the estuary of the Thames and the Medway river.
That was long ago of course but after some review,
The Medway Queen returned to us by ambition of a few,
Our Merchant Navy heritage held by us so dear,
Restored to sea a fine ship - to sail again this year.
Joe Earl 2013
She is the Medway Queen - popular and fast,
With a jaunty rake of funnel and bunting from the mast,
The waving of the passengers leaning on the rail,
And jingle of the telegraph when about to sail.
Weathered canvas dodgers and lifebelts red and white,
Ensign flying proudly on halyard whipping tight,
Paddles swooshing easily foaming as they churn,
Leaving wake ruler straight, trailing there astern.
Captain’s orders from the bridge open to the weather,
Fascinating engines steaming `hell for leather`,
Called upon in wartime years for most valiant work,
She became the `Heroine` active at Dunkirk.
Seven thousand men she saved in terrifying times,
When diverted from her war task of sweeping up the mines,
Earning crew awards for staving off the dread,
And shooting down the enemy flying overhead.
Triple were her furnaces - Scotch boiler down below,
When built upon the Clyde ninety years ago,
She changed from burning coal, back in `thirty eight,
Using now red diesel to push along her freight.
Fifteen knots her best speed steaming there and back,
From Chatham down to Clacton then a homeward tack,
To the wooden piers she’d regularly deliver,
On the estuary of the Thames and the Medway river.
That was long ago of course but after some review,
The Medway Queen returned to us by ambition of a few,
Our Merchant Navy heritage held by us so dear,
Restored to sea a fine ship - to sail again this year.
Joe Earl 2013