The Valley Of Kilbride (MacEdward Leach) video
See also: The July Drive (Also collected by Leach)

On the battle field in sunny France,
A hero brave did stand;
He thought of friends he loved so well,
In dear old Newfoundland;
When a vision bright did gain his view,
The dear old riverside,
And the home he loved in boyhood days,
In the Valley of Kilbride.

A comrade he lay wounded,
Lay dying on the field;
Those plucky Newfoundlanders,
They died before they'd yield;
On no man's land they rushed across,
Where shot and shell do fly;
On no man's land they rushed across,
You could hear their charging cry.

No coward's blood runs through their veins,
They'll conquer now or die;
They gained the front line trenches,
From the enemy that day;
While on their right or on their left,
Machine guns they did fly;
When the dying comrade raised his head,
A signal to draw nigh.

He says, "Dear Jack, those parting words,
I want for you to hear."
He says, "Dear Jack, those parting words,
I want for you to know."
He says, "Dear Jack, those parting words,
I want for you to tell;
To my father and my mother,
Likewise my sister Nell.

"Tell mother not to weep for me,
But pray for me each day:
And whisper words of comfort, Jack,
To her that's far away;
And whisper words of comfort, Jack,
And take her by the hand;
And tell her in that July drive,
How bravely I did stand.

"There's another one who waits for me,
And thinks that I'll come home;
Go and tell her that in Bowring Park,
We never more shall roam;
We never more shall meet on earth,
Since you and I must part;
But still her memory lingers yet,
Within my bleeding heart.

"There's a photo that she gave to me,
Lies closely by my side;
You can scarcely recognize it now,
For with my blood it's dyed;
You can scarcely recognize it now,
But you will be sure to know;
It's a photo that she gave to me,
Not a few short months ago."

His voice grew weak, he scarce could speak,
He freely grasped my hand;
He says, "Dear Jack, do not forget,
To bring tidings to Newfoundland."
He says, "Dear Jack, do not forget,
How the blood flowed from my side;
God comfort my dear mother,
In the Valley of Kilbride.

"I know that you will miss me, Jack,
For soon we have to part;
I know that I won't live long with,
The pain that's in my heart;
I know that I am dying with,
The pain that's in my side;
My home I never more will see,
In the Valley of Kilbride.

"I know that you will miss me, Jack,
When you are all alone;
My grave will be in sunny France,
Far from my native home;
My grave will be in sunny France,
Way out on no-man's land;
And the dark-haired girl will weep for me,
In dear old Newfoundland."

####.... Original Newfoundland song, written by John MacDonald, a farmer in Kilbride. (See notes below) ....####

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