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#militarypoetry
*** She watched the soldiers disappear Beyond the smoke and rain, Their shadows fading through the mist Across the shattered plain. No trumpet sang, no banners waved, No glory filled the air. Only weary men with haunted eyes Marching toward despair. When silence settled on the field, She slowly walked ahead. To where the soldiers once had stood Among the torn and dead. The earth was churned by mud and blood, By boots and shellfire’s flame. And scattered there like fallen leaves Forgotten letters lay. She knelt among the poppies red, Her trembling fingers cold, And lifted pages soaked by rain, Still carrying words of home. One letter spoke of mother’s bread, Still warm upon the tray. A father waiting by the fire At ending of the day. Another told of sweetheart’s eyes, And promises once made. Of dancing halls and wedding rings Beyond the war’s dark shade. One spoke of brothers left behind, Of sisters growing tall. Of Christmas bells and childhood games Beside an old stone wall. Each page she read held hope and love, Simple dreams so small. Yet every word became a ghost Across that broken sprawl. Tears slowly traced her weary face As twilight dimmed the sky. For every letter seemed to breathe With lives that did not die. Then nearby in the muddy earth, Half-hidden by the rain, She saw a fallen soldier there, Still silent where he lay. His hand still grasped a final page, Its writing left undone. The ink had blurred beneath the storm, The sentence never done. She gently knelt beside the boy, No older than her years. And carefully she took the page While fighting back her tears. “My darling Mum…” the letter read, Then suddenly it ceased. The final words forever lost In war’s unholy grief. She bowed her head beside the dead, The wind so cold and still. Around them scarlet poppies swayed Across the shattered hill. Then softly through the falling dusk She whispered low and true, “I promise I will send this home. I will remember you.” “I’ll tell them how you fought with courage, How you carried hope through pain. How even here, beneath this hell, Your heart stayed kind through rain.” The soldiers marched far out of sight, The guns began once more. But she remained among the letters Scattered by the war. Gathering every fragile page Like treasures from the dead, To carry home their final words And all the tears they bled. For though the war would take their lives, And silence many stories, One soul remained to speak their names And guard their memories.
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5d ago
May 30, 2026 at 3:47 AM UTC
The Letters Left Behind
*** She watched the soldiers disappear Beyond the smoke and rain, Their shadows fading through the mist Across the shattered plain. No trumpet sang, no banners waved, No glory filled the air. Only weary men with haunted eyes Marching toward despair. When silence settled on the field, She slowly walked ahead. To where the soldiers once had stood Among the torn and dead. The earth was churned by mud and blood, By boots and shellfire’s flame. And scattered there like fallen leaves Forgotten letters lay. She knelt among the poppies red, Her trembling fingers cold, And lifted pages soaked by rain, Still carrying words of home. One letter spoke of mother’s bread, Still warm upon the tray. A father waiting by the fire At ending of the day. Another told of sweetheart’s eyes, And promises once made. Of dancing halls and wedding rings Beyond the war’s dark shade. One spoke of brothers left behind, Of sisters growing tall. Of Christmas bells and childhood games Beside an old stone wall. Each page she read held hope and love, Simple dreams so small. Yet every word became a ghost Across that broken sprawl. Tears slowly traced her weary face As twilight dimmed the sky. For every letter seemed to breathe With lives that did not die. Then nearby in the muddy earth, Half-hidden by the rain, She saw a fallen soldier there, Still silent where he lay. His hand still grasped a final page, Its writing left undone. The ink had blurred beneath the storm, The sentence never done. She gently knelt beside the boy, No older than her years. And carefully she took the page While fighting back her tears. “My darling Mum…” the letter read, Then suddenly it ceased. The final words forever lost In war’s unholy grief. She bowed her head beside the dead, The wind so cold and still. Around them scarlet poppies swayed Across the shattered hill. Then softly through the falling dusk She whispered low and true, “I promise I will send this home. I will remember you.” “I’ll tell them how you fought with courage, How you carried hope through pain. How even here, beneath this hell, Your heart stayed kind through rain.” The soldiers marched far out of sight, The guns began once more. But she remained among the letters Scattered by the war. Gathering every fragile page Like treasures from the dead, To carry home their final words And all the tears they bled. For though the war would take their lives, And silence many stories, One soul remained to speak their names And guard their memories.
Continue reading...
81
In the stillness of dawn, a soldier dreams, Of a home left behind, or was it just a gleam? Hiraeth grips the heart, a silent yearning stream, For a place he cannot reach, but knows by heart's theme. Memories flicker like stars in the night, Of laughter and warmth, of love shining bright. Yet the battlefield's echoes drown out the sight, A soldier's dream of home, in the midst of the fight. Hiraeth whispers in the rustling leaves, A home unrealised, a heart that grieves. Through the chaos and noise, a soul believes, In the dream of returning, a soldier achieves.
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May 26
May 26, 2026 at 7:02 AM UTC
Taunts of a Soldier's Hiraeth
We walked where the maps gave up, where the wind had no manners and the dust clung to your boots like it meant to follow you home. No brass bands, no speeches — just the quiet nod of lads who knew the weight of distance and the price of being needed. The guns were our heartbeat, steady as old friends, loud enough to remind the world we were still there, still holding the line even when the line was thin. Everywhere they sent us, we left something behind: a bootprint in the mud, a joke whispered in the rain, a promise kept in the dark. And though the world forgets the ones who fire from the shadows, the guns remember. They always do.
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May 19
May 19, 2026 at 3:30 AM UTC
The Gunners Path
The road stretched out before us like it had a grudge to settle — mile after mile of mud, rain that couldn’t take a hint, and boots that swore at you with every step. But we walked it anyway, because that’s what gunners do. No fuss, no drama, just a steady plod and the occasional complaint to keep morale at the correct level of cheerful misery. The gun rattled behind us, its wheels clattering like an old aunt who never approved of anything but insisted on coming along. We shared the weight, shared the jokes, shared the aches that settled in like unwelcome lodgers. And somewhere along that endless road, between the blisters and the banter, we found a kind of peace — the simple truth that you’re never alone when you’re walking with gunners. At the end of the day, when the boots came off and the brew went on, we’d look back at the road and laugh at how far we’d come. And tomorrow, we’d do it all again — because the road never ends, and neither does the regiment.
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May 18
May 18, 2026 at 9:23 AM UTC
The Weight of the Cap Badge
You never really know a hill until you’ve dragged a gun up it — rope biting your palms, sweat stinging your eyes, and some lad behind you muttering that this was never in the brochure. The mules had more sense than we did, planting their hooves like they were arguing with the mountain. But we coaxed them on, one curse, one pat, one promise at a time. Up there, the air thins and the world goes quiet, as if waiting to see whether you’ve got the grit to finish what you started. And when the gun finally settles on the ridge like a stubborn old king, you feel it — that small, private pride that no medal ever captures. Because it wasn’t glory that got the gun up there. It was lads with aching backs, bad jokes, and the simple belief that the job needed doing and we were the poor sods to do it.
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May 16
May 16, 2026 at 4:54 AM UTC
The Regiments Whispers
✈️☁️🇬🇧🌤️ RAF wings climb through storm and dome, Carrying hope and thoughts of home. Across the clouds their engines sing, Guarding peace on silent wing. Though distant skies may call them far, Home still shines their guiding star. 🌤️🛩️💙✈️
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May 11
May 11, 2026 at 1:01 PM UTC
Wings of Duty
⚓🌊🇬🇧⛴️ The Royal Navy sails the tide, With sacrifice and ancient pride. Through storm-lit nights and rolling sea, Their watch endures for liberty. Beneath white ensigns bold and true, Old honour sails in every crew. ⛴️🌅⚓🌊
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May 11
May 11, 2026 at 12:59 PM UTC
Oceans of Tradition
⚔️🌤️🚶♂️✨ True courage walks where few have been, Quiet, steady, calm, unseen. Through shadowed paths and falling rain, It bears the loss, endures the pain. No trumpet sounds, no crowds applaud, Yet strength still walks the hardest road. ✨🚶♂️🌿⚔️
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May 11
May 11, 2026 at 12:57 PM UTC
Silent Courage
We walked where the maps gave up, where the wind had no manners and the dust clung to your boots like it meant to follow you home. No brass bands, no speeches — just the quiet nod of lads who knew the weight of distance and the price of being needed. The guns were our heartbeat, steady as old friends, loud enough to remind the world we were still there, still holding the line even when the line was thin. Everywhere they sent us, we left something behind: a bootprint in the mud, a joke whispered in the rain, a promise kept in the dark. And though the world forgets the ones who fire from the shadows, the guns remember. They always do.
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May 11
May 11, 2026 at 6:07 AM UTC
The Gunners Path
“Where Courage Finds Its Sound” *** He walks out front. Not behind. Not tucked safe in the ranks. No shield. No sword. Just lungs full of fire and a tune older than kings. The pipes scream. Not for ceremony— for courage. For the lads behind him with blades in hand and hearts thumping like war drums. He plays through the smoke, through the fear, through the mud that grabs at boots and the sky that spits iron. Every note says: We are still here. Every breath says: We do not kneel. And when the clash comes— steel on steel, roar on roar— he plays louder. Because freedom needs a soundtrack, and he’s the first to bleed it into the wind.
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May 6
May 6, 2026 at 8:47 AM UTC
The Piper Walks First
“The Songs Carried Home” *** They come down the Royal Mile, boots steady, kilts swinging, pipes crying out like old ghosts who’ve seen too much but still sing. The Black Watch. Back from the dust and fire, from places where the sky didn’t know peace. Now they march through Edinburgh, castle watching from its perch, crowd lining the street with eyes full of pride and a few tears tucked behind sunglasses. The drums don’t just beat— they remember. Every thud says... We made it. Every note says... Not all of us did. And the pipers— they don’t flinch. They play for the ones who walked beside them and now walk only in memory. This isn’t just a parade. It’s a promise. That Scotland remembers. That the uniform still means something. That the sound of the pipes can carry grief, glory, and home. all in one breath.
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May 1
May 1, 2026 at 3:35 AM UTC
March Through the Stone
“What We Carry in Silence” *** There are things we talk about — the weather, our kit, the food, the daft things that happened out on exercise. And then there are the things we don’t. The fear. The doubt. The moments that shook us. The faces we still see when the room goes quiet. We don’t say them out loud because we don’t need to. The lads already know. A nod, a look, a hand on the shoulder — that’s enough. Words are for civvies. We deal in silence, shared understanding, and the unspoken truth that we’d go through it all again for each other. The only words that matter are— For each other.
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Apr 30
Apr 30, 2026 at 3:52 AM UTC
The Things We Never Say Out Loud
“The Compass That Led Me Home” Men go to war for all sorts of reasons — duty, pride, orders, habit. But they come home for one. Her. Him. Family. The thought of their laugh, their voice, their hand in mine — that was the compass that pointed me back every time. When the nights were long and the cold cut deep, I’d picture them waiting, lights on, kettle ready, like the world hadn’t changed while I was away. And maybe it hadn’t. Maybe they kept it steady so I’d have something worth returning to. That’s why I came back. Every time. Every mile. Every ****** step. To stand silently, smiling in my home.
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Apr 29
Apr 29, 2026 at 3:13 AM UTC
Why I Came Back
“The Moment Between Boy and Soldier” *** The plane shakes. Loud. Metal belly full of lads trying not to throw up their nerves. I grip the straps. Check my chute. Again. Again. Because once I jump, there’s no second chance. The red-light glows. We wait. No one talks. Just breathing and blinking, and maybe a prayer tucked behind someone’s teeth. Green. Go. I step out into nothing. Cold air grabs me— a slap, a scream, a silence. Then the chute snaps open like a fist unclenching. Floating now. But not for long. Visioning— a world on fire— tracers, flak, trees that don’t care who lands in them. I hit the ground hard. Roll. Mud in my mouth. Gun in my hand. And just like that, I’m not a boy anymore. The realisation of what could be— yet I climb aboard for my next training jump.
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Apr 28
Apr 28, 2026 at 3:47 AM UTC
Drop Zone
“15000 Miles Between Heartbeats” *** You missed my ship— I shout into the distance, half anger, half ache. I’m already on my way, and you don’t even know it. The horn fades into a thinning shore, and I carry myself fifteen hundred miles toward something I cannot yet name. Tomorrow— war. Battles waiting just beyond sleep. Silence stretches wide, too wide for men meant to fill it. My thoughts drift— home, where hearts sit warm and untouched. But here we stand, shoulder to shoulder, steady… or pretending to be. Night breaks open— fire in the sky, thunder tearing through bone. Fear climbs quietly, finding every gap we try to seal. Bravery— a mask we wear well. Because the truth? The horror is loud, sharp, unforgettable. Then morning comes— as if nothing happened. The storm loosens its grip, and the sea remembers how to breathe again. Laughter returns, fragile at first, like it’s asking permission. Still— fifteen thousand miles from home, and somehow love reaches us. I sail back— toward familiar shores, toward names I know. But something stays behind. Grief travels with me, quiet, unpacked. Too many do not return. Their journey ends where ours continues. And maybe— that is their peace. Rows of coffins. Flags draped low. A bugle cries soft enough to break you. And the questions— they don’t leave. What did they give? What did they lose? And who decides what it was worth? I still ask that question— Old photos in my hands, faces that never made it home. And still… I ask—why?
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Apr 24
Apr 24, 2026 at 5:09 AM UTC
Away From Home
“15000 Miles Between Heartbeats” *** You missed my ship— I shout into the distance, half anger, half ache. I’m already on my way, and you don’t even know it. The horn fades into a thinning shore, and I carry myself fifteen hundred miles toward something I cannot yet name. Tomorrow— war. Battles waiting just beyond sleep. Silence stretches wide, too wide for men meant to fill it. My thoughts drift— home, where hearts sit warm and untouched. But here we stand, shoulder to shoulder, steady… or pretending to be. Night breaks open— fire in the sky, thunder tearing through bone. Fear climbs quietly, finding every gap we try to seal. Bravery— a mask we wear well. Because the truth? The horror is loud, sharp, unforgettable. Then morning comes— as if nothing happened. The storm loosens its grip, and the sea remembers how to breathe again. Laughter returns, fragile at first, like it’s asking permission. Still— fifteen thousand miles from home, and somehow love reaches us. I sail back— toward familiar shores, toward names I know. But something stays behind. Grief travels with me, quiet, unpacked. Too many do not return. Their journey ends where ours continues. And maybe— that is their peace. Rows of coffins. Flags draped low. A bugle cries soft enough to break you. And the questions— they don’t leave. What did they give? What did they lose? And who decides what it was worth? I still ask that question— Old photos in my hands, faces that never made it home. And still… I ask—why?
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81
Part 1 *** The Unexpected Path Orders lead me on. Roads I never thought to walk. Purpose found in dust. *** Calm Within Chaos Gunfire fades to breath. A still mind in the madness. Calm between heartbeats. *** Life’s Delicate Balance Armour on, heart soft. Strength and fear walk side by side. Balance forged in fire. *** Woven Brotherhood Laughs, loss, silent nods. Threads of lives stitched into one. Brothers stand as one. *** Embrace the Unknown New ground under boots. Change comes with each dawn we face. Step into the dark. *** Rhythm of the March Bootsteps drum the earth. Hearts beat in a steady line. Marching into fate. *** Hidden Lessons Scars beneath the kit. Lessons learned in silent watch. Wisdom earned, not told. *** Turning Deployments Tours come, tours will end. Stories carried home within. Chapters etched in time. *** Steady in the Storm Rain, fire, and long nights. Hold the line through every storm. Strength stands unbroken.
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Mar 28
Mar 28, 2026 at 5:10 AM UTC
Haiku Poems Military Service
*** You missed my ship— I shouted it into the wind. Too late now. The horn sounded from a distant harbour, and the sea took us with it. Fifteen hundred miles between me and home. Tomorrow there will be war. For now, only silence— a wide ocean holding its breath. And my thoughts drift back to where my heart lives. Then the night erupts. Fire in the dark. Thunder in the sky. Fear rising like cold water. We stand our ground. Bravery is often just fear wearing a uniform. The noise— unbearable. The horror— closer than words allow. And then morning. The guns fall quiet. The sea pretends nothing happened. Someone laughs. Someone else lights a cigarette. Fifteen hundred miles from home— yet love still finds us. One day I sail back. Home again. Family waiting. Familiar streets. But something stays behind. Because not everyone comes home. Rows of coffins. Flags folded carefully. A bugle breaking the silence. Soft. Slow. Tears fall without permission. And the question still drifts through the wind— What was given? What was gained? By Paul Baldry (LongJohn)
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Mar 5
Mar 5, 2026 at 3:39 PM UTC
Away From Home
*** WHISPERS IN THE GRAIN Silent fields murmur stories etched in weathered earth footsteps linger still their shadows dance with the rain echoes of the brave remain *** ENDURING LIGHT Lost hearts softly breathe woven through the quiet night strength in stillness glows a flicker that will not fade guiding us through darkest hours *** LEGACY UNBROKEN Storms have tested them yet they rose with steady grace honour shining bright memories time cannot dim their legacy standing firm *** SACRED NAMES Courage blooms in grief where the brave once laid their claim sorrow turns to vow in remembrance we hold them renewing each sacred name *** STARS OVER THE DEEP Bright stars overhead shadows dance on restless waves sailors drift through fate dreams carried like whispered foam lost yet longing for the dawn
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Mar 6
Mar 6, 2026 at 3:19 AM UTC
Tanka Poems of Courage & Remembrance
*** You missed my ship— I shouted it into the wind. Too late now. The horn sounded from a distant harbour, and the sea took us with it. Fifteen hundred miles between me and home. Tomorrow there will be war. For now, only silence— a wide ocean holding its breath. And my thoughts drift back to where my heart lives. Then the night erupts. Fire in the dark. Thunder in the sky. Fear rising like cold water. We stand our ground. Bravery is often just fear wearing a uniform. The noise— unbearable. The horror— closer than words allow. And then morning. The guns fall quiet. The sea pretends nothing happened. Someone laughs. Someone else lights a cigarette. Fifteen hundred miles from home— yet love still finds us. One day I sail back. Home again. Family waiting. Familiar streets. But something stays behind. Because not everyone comes home. Rows of coffins. Flags folded carefully. A bugle breaking the silence. Soft. Slow. Tears fall without permission. And the question still drifts through the wind— What was given? What was gained? By Paul Baldry (LongJohn)
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Mar 5
Mar 5, 2026 at 3:44 PM UTC
Away From Home
You missed my ship— I shouted it into the wind. Too late now. The horn sounded from a distant harbour, and the sea took us with it. Fifteen hundred miles between me and home. Tomorrow there will be war. For now, only silence— a wide ocean holding its breath. And my thoughts drift back to where my heart lives. Then the night erupts. Fire in the dark. Thunder in the sky. Fear rising like cold water. We stand our ground. Bravery is often just fear wearing a uniform. The noise— unbearable. The horror— closer than words allow. And then morning. The guns fall quiet. The sea pretends nothing happened. Someone laughs. Someone else lights a cigarette. Fifteen hundred miles from home— yet love still finds us. One day I sail back. Home again. Family waiting. Familiar streets. But something stays behind. Because not everyone comes home. Rows of coffins. Flags folded carefully. A bugle breaking the silence. Soft. Slow. Tears fall without permission. And the question still drifts through the wind— What was given? What was gained? By Paul Baldry (LongJohn)
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Mar 5
Mar 5, 2026 at 4:22 AM UTC
Away From Home
By LongJohn, honouring the Royal Artillery motto and spirit They say the infantry hold the ground, the cavalry takes the glory, and the gunners… well, we just change the landscape. Our thunder isn’t borrowed — it’s earned, forged in steel and sweat, carried on the backs of lads who know exactly what it means to serve a crown you’ll never meet but feel in your bones. When the order comes, there’s no hesitation — just the calm of men who’ve rehearsed the end of the world often enough to make it look tidy. The gun speaks, the earth answers, and somewhere in that rolling crack you hear the history of the regiment — from Flanders mud to Afghan dust, from the smoke of Waterloo to the cold rain of the Falklands. We don’t shout about it. We don’t need to. The guns do that for us. And when the smoke clears and the world steadies itself, we stand there — boots planted, ears ringing, hearts steady — knowing we’ve added our own small echo to the King’s thunder.
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Feb 8
Feb 8, 2026 at 7:24 AM UTC
"The Queens Thunder"
By LongJohn There’s a certain way a Number One speaks — calm as a Sunday morning, sharp as a fresh sharpened knife, and carrying enough authority to make even the cockiest lad stand up a bit straighter. He didn’t need to shout. Didn’t need to swagger. Just a quiet, steady “Stand by…” and every man on the det felt the world tighten into focus. You learned to trust that voice — in the rain, in the dark, in the moments when the air itself seemed to hold its breath. He knew his gun like other men know their children: every quirk, every mood, every sound it made when it was happy, angry, or about to misbehave. And when the order came, his voice cut through the chaos like a lighthouse beam, guiding you through the noise to the one thing that mattered: doing the job right, first time, every time. Years later, you still hear it — that calm, unshakeable tone that made you believe you could hold the line against anything. A Number One doesn’t just command a gun. He commands confidence. And that’s rarer than ammunition.
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Feb 8
Feb 8, 2026 at 7:30 AM UTC
"The Number Ones Voice"
Direct fire — the layer’s true arena By LongJohn There’s nothing gentle about direct fire. No time for poetry, no time for second guesses — just the sight, the target, and the knowledge that the moment you squeeze the trigger you’ve lit a ****** great arrow pointing straight back at yourself. That’s when the layer earns his keep. One eye shut, the other sharp as a knife edge, breath held, hands steady, heart doing its own thing but you ignore it. The gun bucks, the world flashes white, and before the smoke even clears you’re shouting for the next round — because speed is life, and accuracy is survival. “Get them before they get you,” that’s the rule. Simple. Unforgiving. True every time. The layer doesn’t wait for applause. He doesn’t look up to see if anyone noticed. He just adjusts, leans in again, and finds the next target like it personally owes him money. And when the day’s done and the gun cools and the adrenaline finally lets go, he’ll sit there quiet, hands still trembling a bit, knowing he did what few can do — hit fast, hit true, and walk away from a job that doesn’t forgive mistakes.
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Feb 8
Feb 8, 2026 at 7:35 AM UTC
"The Layers Eye"
By LongJohn I’ve never been much for churches, but I’ve said a few prayers in the rain, in the dark, and once or twice with my face in the mud wondering what the hell I’d done with my life. So, here’s a gunner’s prayer — plain, unpolished, and true. Keep the lads steady, the sights clean, and the Number One calm when the world starts shaking. Keep the layer sharp, the loader quick, and the signaller awake even when he swears, he is. Keep the rounds dry, the fuses honest, and the gun behaving herself long enough to do the job. And when the smoke settles and the echoes fade, keep us humble enough to remember why we’re here and who we stand beside. If there’s mercy to spare, give it to the young ones — they’ve got more to lose and less to hide behind. As for the rest of us, we’ll take whatever comes with the same stubborn pride that’s carried the regiment from the first gun fired to the last. Amen, or whatever word a gunner uses when he means it.
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Feb 8
Feb 8, 2026 at 7:50 AM UTC
"The Gunners Prayer"
"Legacy in the Stillness" Silently mountains whisper, Footsteps of the brave remain, Shadows of lost hearts. In the stillness, they breathe strength, A legacy of honour. "Lanterns Beneath the Waves" Beneath the bright stars, Sailors lost in endless waves, Their dreams now at sea. In the depths, their spirits rise, Guiding lanterns in the dark. "March of Memory" Muddy boots on the path, Marching through the weight of time, Memories of pain. Yet courage fuels each stride, A strengthening their fight. "Valour in the Wind" Airborne spirits soar, Clouds cradle the fallen's dreams, Wisps of valour’s grace. In each gust, their stories told, Bravery etched in the sky. "Stone of Honour" Cannon fire echoes, A mother's heart breaks in two, Lost son on the field. Yet she stands with pride and grace, His name wrapped in honours stone.
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Feb 7
Feb 7, 2026 at 12:30 PM UTC
The Heart that Speaks in Silence