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On the deck of a recruiting ship a young man he did stand,
His thoughts were of his friends at home in dear ol' Newfoundland;
But as he gazed his thoughts went back to his home that's many a mile
To his homestead of Wabana on the red rocks of Bell Isle.
He fancied he stood on the ramp going down to shovel ore,
And loaded his twenty carriages as he oft-times done before.
In the evening when his work was done he'd go home with a heavy sigh -
He'd go and see his own sweetheart whom he thought would be his bride.
He dreamt he stood with her and gazed as the stars shone overhead -
The moon it rose above the hill and it shone that night so red.
It was little did he ever think of the danger over there -
He was a Newfoundlander and I'm sure he knew no fear.
Then one night over on the front when a cry to arms did sound,
Among those gallant hero boys this Bell Isle man was found;
He was wounded in the battle but he still kept fighting on -
The Germans were defeated and back home they had to run.
His comrades carried him back to camp and laid him down to die -
One man knelt down beside him with a tear all in his eye
Saying: "Will you take this message back to my home that's many a mile,
To my homestead of Wabana on the red rocks of Bell Isle.
"Tell my mother not to weep for me, tell my sister not to grieve,
For I fought and struggled to the end and I fought it mighty brave.
Tell my mother not to weep for me or sigh with a drooping head,
For her son he was a soldier and among many, a gallant man."
There's another not his sister in those happy days gone by -
You would know her on a gloomy night by the sparkle on her eye.
"You tell her I sent her all my love and to her I said good-bye;
Her true love was a soldier and for England he did die.
"Now, comrades, I am dying, come ye say for me a prayer -
And before this battle it is won with you, you'll hear me cheer.
And when this battle it is won, I would like for you to sing:
It's down with Adolph Hitler, God save our gracious King!"
