(A fresh poem echoing the weary humour and fatalism of old gunner ballads) “The Gunner’s Road” — after the traditional Gunner’s Lament. By LongJohn, in honour of the traditional Royal Artillery song.
The road was long before us,
and longer still behind,
with the guns trundling steady
like they had a mind of their own.
We cursed the mud,
laughed at the rain,
and shared what little warmth
a battered flask could offer.
But when the order came,
we stood to —
no grumbling then,
just the quiet pride
of men who knew their craft.
And though the world forgets
the ones who walked that endless road,
we remember each other.
That’s enough.
Feb 9
Feb 9, 2026 at 6:02 AM UTC
(A fresh poem echoing the weary humour and fatalism of old gunner ballads) “The Gunner’s Road” — after the traditional Gunner’s Lament. By LongJohn, in honour of the traditional Royal Artillery song.
The road was long before us,
and longer still behind,
with the guns trundling steady
like they had a mind of their own.
We cursed the mud,
laughed at the rain,
and shared what little warmth
a battered flask could offer.
But when the order came,
we stood to —
no grumbling then,
just the quiet pride
of men who knew their craft.
And though the world forgets
the ones who walked that endless road,
we remember each other.
That’s enough.
This piece follows the long, mudsoaked tradition of gunner ballads where humour keeps the cold out and fatalism keeps the boots moving. The Gunners Road echoes the voices of those who marched, cursed, laughed, and stood to without fuss, honouring the craft, the comradeship, and the road that shaped them.
