Through the dark night And the fury of battle Pass the destroyers in showers of spray. As the Wolf-pack to the flank of the cattle, We shall close in on them--shadows of grey. In from ahead, Through shell-flashes red, We shall come down to them, after the Day. Whistle and crash Of salvo and volley Round us and into us while we attack. Light on our target they'll flash in their folly, Splitting our ears with the shrapnel-crack.
Fire as they will, We'll come to them still, Roar as they may at us--Back--Go Back! White though the sea To the shell-flashes foaming, We shall be there at the death of the Hun. Only we pray for a star in the gloaming (Light for torpedoes and none for a gun). Lord--of Thy Grace Make it a race, Over the sea with the night to run.
A tale is told of a captain bold Of E-boat Seventy-two; She steered to eastward--pitched and rolled, and Poulson swore at her, damp and cold, As E-boat captains do.
And off the mouth of the German Bight, With Borkum on the bow, She saw the smoke of a German fleet--MIND YOUR FINGERS--SEVENTY FEET! WE'RE IN FOR BUSINESS NOW....
(For enemy ships are hard to find-- You have to take them quick; So copy the Eastern vulture's rule, that waits for days for an Army mule-- Always ready to click.)
Out to the west from Helgoland The big grey cruiser steered, And the glinting rays of a rising sun flashed on funnel and mast and gun, And--Admiral Schultz's beard.
Down the wind the E-boat came And passed the searching screen; Nobody guessed the boat was there, till they heard the wallop and saw the flare-- Where the pride of the fleet had been.
'Twixt white and green of dancing waves The racing tracks were seen, And Poulson watching them get there, cried--_Hold the crockery-- Starboard side!_ _For the kick of a magazine!_
The escort ran and the cruisers ran At the thought of an English snare; Scattered and spread to left and right, to the friendly arms of the German Bight, And left the ocean bare.
Then the coffee was spilt, the E-boat rolled To a deuce of a shaking bang; To the sound of the hammer of Aser-Thor, victory-song of Naval War, The hull of the E-boat rang.
And Poulson swinging the eye-piece round, Lifted eyebrows high, For far aloft, when the smoke had cleared, he saw the flash of a golden beard Against the empty sky.