SOMME/36TH BRIGADE SONGS » Englishmans Betrayal

Come gather round my comrades, this first of July morn
When Ulster men are proudly Glad of the land where they were born
I will tell you of our history and how it came to pass'
That we went once more to Englands aid so far from old Belfast

It was in the dark uncertain days of early world war one
When Britains shores were threatened by the jackboot of the hun
But now Englands cry for help was heard we let her have no fear
And we sent across the Flanders fields the Ulster Volunteers

It was at a place they called The Somme on the first day of July
When twenty thousand Ulster men they prepared to fight and die
Well they bravely charged through no-mans land with the red hand flying high
And their cry it was no surrender boys, old Ulsters battle cry

Well the Gemans in their trenches they could scarce believe their eyes
When up and charged those Ulster men and they heard their battle cry
For what kind of men are these they said who would leave their native land
For to die upon a battle field and what is that strange red hand

So on and on they charged that day where others feared to tread
And in the mud and on the wire,they left behind their dead
Now the only flag to fly that day behind the German lines
Was the old red hand of Ulster with its Shamrocks bound in nine

And for those who came back home again what changes did they find
For the counties that made Ulster up they no longer numbered nine
Three counties had been stole away by those we fought to save
For now this was Englands gratitude to the sacrifice we made

So gather round my comrades, this first of July morn
When Ulster men are proudly Glad of the land where they were born
And we'll never more be sent away to fight in a foriegn land
or to die for someone elses cause at an Englishmans command