I WANT TO GO HOME
I want to go home, I wantto go home;
Of Mausers and pom-poms I’ve had quite enough;
And the grub that they give us is so bloody tough;
Take me over the sea, where theBoers can’t get at me;
Oh, my! I don’t want to die, I wantto go home.
I want to go home,-----rpt,
I don’t want to go to the trenches no more
Where the whizz bangs they rattle, Jack Johnsons they roar;
Take me over the sea, where the Allemand (alleyman) can’t get at me;
Oh my, I don’t want to die, I want to go home.
I want to go home, rpt
One day at Givinchy (Menin) the week before last
The Germans attacked, they never got past.
They pushed way up to the Keep, through our Maaxim gunsights we did peep;
Oh my, they let out a cry, they never got home.
I want to go home, rpt,
The gas tank is leaking,the motor is dead,
The pilot is trying to stand on his head;
Take me back to the ground, I don’t want to fly upside down;
Oh my, I’m too young to die, I want to go home!
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The first verse is documented by Kiwi Folklorist and veteran Les Cleveland in his book ‘Dark Laughter’, second is recorded from Brad Tate, with insert from ‘The Anzacs’, 3rd verse is by Lt Heneff, Welch Guards, recorded by poet and vet Robert Graves, the last is from the book ‘Sound Off’.