Harry's War

Harry's War

Somewhere there's a smoky room
Where generals lean over a map and make plans
Move their pieces around on the board
To form the grand strategies of the High Command
While way out here where the guns split the night
One poor reluctant conscript stubs out a cigarette
He's had no sleep for the past three nights
Cos this is Harry's war

If I ever get out of this Godforsaken hole
I'll kiss the sergeant major as I wave good bye
Drink a toast to the friends I've lost by the way
And that man I'm trying to kill who looks a lot like me
I'm cold and I'm scared and I can almost see his face
And I just want to be out of this place
I'm going to march my way home and never march again
Cos this is Harry's war.
Yes, this is Harry's War.

Our brigade commander went to a good school
And reads all the manuals time and time again
But he's got no sense he's got no sense at all
And only knows the difference between officers and men
With a pipe between my teeth I'm chewing at the stem
Got through three this month it'll be four by the end
When I write home I'm fine I'll pretend
Cos this is Harry's war

If I ever get out of this Godforsaken hole...

There's an iron band of men inside this hell on earth
Where we don't wave flags or sing God Save the King
We don't read the papers and not see between the lines
Just think home thoughts of public bars and pretty women
Content to tend the garden or to pull the plough
With these hands never meant for the holding of a gun
We've been waiting for relief for three weeks now
Cos this is Harry's war

If I ever get out of this Godforsaken hole...

If I ever get home don't ask me what I did
No desire to be a hero I never felt that brave
Won't even send for my medals, won't talk a lot
Quite content to take my story with me to the grave
Perhaps look back one day and lose the bitter taste
Of when we all paid the price for politicians mistakes
And was it all a total waste
That we fought Harry's war

If I ever get out of this Godforsaken hole... rep last line