Dday

Oh! won't it be wonderful after the war,

At last to be sailing for Old Blighty's shore.

You’ll wear out your voices with cheering that day,

When you're on the Troopship that is leaving Bombay .

Away from Monsoons and the Sun's deadly heat,

Away from Mosquitoes and "Prickly Heat".

No more gharry Wallahs your temper to rile,

When they say "Two Rupees Sahib" for less than a mile

Oh! won't it be wonderful after the war,

You will never be asked for "Baksheesh” any more.

You'll finish with Rupees and get back to "Bobs",

While hawkers who've robbed you here look for fresh jobs.

At a dance when you say to a girl "May I please"?

She will look as though you've crawled from some cheese.

Wherever you go they won't ask you to leave,

Just because you've got Iess than three stripes on your sleeve.

Oh! won't it be wonderful after the war.

Though you will miss your Sergeants whom you all adore.

To buy things you couldn't afford in Bombay ,

As you were not getting American's pay.

To see a real show with Max Miller and a11,

And not Harry Potter here at the Town Hall.

To wear what you want free from Webbing and straps,

And tell the M.P. 's where to put their Red Caps.

Oh! won't if be wonderful after the war,

At home with your wife and Mother-in-law.

And when wife says "Were you true to me John"?

To say “More or Less” , “Yes or No” , “Off and On”.

And wont's it be nice to sit down to Roast Pork ,

And not to pay Right Annas to hire knife and fork.

To rest in an armchair feet buried in rugs,

And not to be bitten all over with bugs".

Oh! won't it be wonderful after the war.

With the Beveridge plan keeping the wolf from the door ,

You won't have to work if you find it a bore,

And you won't have to pay income tax anymore.

The pubs will be open all night and all day.

With beer, glorious beer, being given away.

And from this dream then you'll awake I'm afraid,

To find that once more you are late on Parade.

PERCY MAY 21/9/1944