Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936). Verse: 1885–1918. 1922.
Sappers
W
(“It’s all one,” says the Sapper),
The Lord He created the Engineer,
Her Majesty’s Royal Engineer,
With the rank and pay of a Sapper!
’T was Noah constructed the first pontoon
To the plans of Her Majesty’s, etc.
Old Noah got drunk, which he wouldn’t ha’ done
If he’d trained with, etc.
Some clever civilian was managing that,
An’ none of, etc.
Young Joshua ordered the sun to stand still,
For he was a Captain of Engineers, etc.
They were learnin’ the regular work of our Corps,
The work of, etc.
Behold us a-shinin’ on history’s page—
First page for, etc.
An’ we sweep up their mess through the bloomin’ campaign
In the style of, etc.
To blow up the gates that are rushed by the Line,
But bent by, etc.
To dig for the guns of a bullock-brigade
Which has asked for, etc.
An’ the heathen they plug us tail-up in the dirt,
Annoying, etc.
We make ’em good roads an’—they roll down the khud,
Reporting, etc.
An’ the telegraph-wire the enemy cuts,
An’ it’s blamed on, etc.
They grudge us adornin’ the billets of peace,
Which are kept for, etc.
That our Colonels are Methodist, married or mad,
Insultin’ etc.
For the more that we help ’em, the less will they do,
But mock at, etc.
An’ Cavalry’s only what horses can stand,
When helped by, etc.
But we are the men that do something all round,
For we are, etc.
(“It’s all one,” says the Sapper)
There’s only one Corps which is perfect—that’s us;
An’ they call us Her Majesty’s Engineers,
Her Majesty’s Royal Engineers,
With the rank and pay of a Sapper!