When War broke out, the British public cried “We’ll be in Berlin by Christmas”. But By Christmas hundreds of thousands had died, As Mons, The Marne, Ypres and Messine cut Down the youth of Europe, while Flanders’ flood Drowned dying, dead and alive. Summer’s dream Was swamped by winter’s mud, rats, death and blood In […]

It wasn’t, in fact, a bolt from the blue, Instead the 1914 Truce was part of a pattern, That both preceded that Christmas and continued beyond: There were ‘cushy’ sectors, involving ‘laissez-faire’, ‘Rest and let rest’, ‘Let sleeping dogs lie’, ‘Mutual obligation element’, ‘Tacit truces’, ‘mutual understanding’, ‘Compromise, and be mighty glad to be alive’, […]

When you’ve been out ‘ere as long as I ‘ave, You get to know the ropes and have a laugh, Keep’ yer ‘ead down aint enough for Fritz, You’ve got to show you can live and let live. When Fritz has his breakfast, let ‘im be, Then he’ll let you ‘ave your bacon an’ yer […]

Midsummer Night’s Dream: I wake up to a nightmare, England are Bottom.

Board game metaphor: The name’s Monopoly now, Not Subbuteo.