Terra Nova's Boys In Blue (Robert Gear MacDonald, Esq)

#03490

Terra Nova's Boys In Blue
(Robert Gear MacDonald, Esq)

Don't you see the bayonets gleaming,
Hear the tread of myriad feet?
Is not merry music streaming,
Down the busy Water Street?
Can't you hear the breathless cheering,
Welcoming from o'er the foam,
To our queenly Terra Nova,
These our brave boys coming home?

'Tis the stalwart line
of our lads who the Empire serve,
And the tramp, tramp, tramp
of the March of the Blue Reserve.

Mark ye well their sun-burnt faces,
And the smiles that on them sit;
Mark their firmly measured paces,
And their eyes that shine with grit.
They have scoured the Caribbean,
They have seen Bermuda's Isle;
They have faced the vast Atlantic,
In his scowl and in his smile.

'Tis the stalwart line
of our lads who the Empire serve,
And the tramp, tramp, tramp
of the March of the Blue Reserve.

With St. George's Ensign o'er them,
They have felt their bosom's swell;
With great Nelson's fame before them,
They have learnt their duty well.
Their arms are lithe and tireless,
And their oar-strokes free and long;
They are swifter than the swiftest,
And strong among the strong.

'Tis the stalwart line
of our lads who the Empire serve,
And the tramp, tramp, tramp
of the March of the Blue Reserve.

Be the Empire's watchword Ready,
That's the way to stifle war;
Let the nation's heart be steady,
Danger then will slink afar.
With a firm determination,
As the Empire doth increase,
We must shoulder stand to shoulder,
God's instruments for peace.

'Tis the stalwart line
of our lads who the Empire serve,
And the tramp, tramp, tramp
of the March of the Blue Reserve.

But let some foe attack us,
We can buckle-to and fight;
With the Empire's sons to back us,
We can still defend the right.
If but brother stand by brother,
We can keep him from the prey;
With our proud and mighty Navy,
Holding all the world at bay.

'Tis the stalwart line
of our lads who the Empire serve,
And the tramp, tramp, tramp
of the March of the Blue Reserve.

####.... Robert Gear MacDonald, Esq ....####

Printed in St John's in 1904 on pp.64-66 of the Old Colony Song Book, Newfoundland, published by James Murphy [1867-1931] who noted, "The British Navy is composed of men from all parts of the British Empire, but we venture to say that amongst them His Most Gracious Majesty does not possess a more fearless, stalwart or expert class of men than the Naval Reserves from the shores of Terra Nova."

Robert Gear MacDonald, Esq [1874-1943] was a St John's native and Colonial Street pharmacist who served as president of the Newfoundland Pharmacy Society from 1928 to 1938. Educated at Methodist College, he was author of a 53 page literary collection of poetry, poems, and verse entitled From the Isle of Avalon (1908) published by Frank H Morland, London; and the 23 page Scott Centenary Lecture Sir Walter Scott, 1771-1832 delivered at Memorial University (1932) published by Dicks, St John's; and a co-author, through amendments and additions, as the chairman of the Centenary Historical Committee (1936) of the 78 page History Of St Thomas' Anglican Church (1928) published by Long Brothers, St John's, 3rd Ed (1962).

From the Dictionary Of Newfoundland English:
Terra Nova - northeast coast of North America and its adjacent islands, especially the large island situated at the entrance to the Gulf of St Lawrence; Newfoundland; Newland.

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