Poem - Joan Torrance

On the Landing of Our Troops at Gallipoli

By Joan Torrance

Australia! our dear Home-land –

All Nations hail thee now,

Thy fearless sons have glory set

Upon thy royal brow.

When Empires fell before the storm

Of War’s o’er-whelming tide,

Then our brave men went nobly forth,

And God was on their side.

Unfurl our Empire’s standard now,

In triumph let it wave,

It is the emblem of the free,

The glory of the brave.

So hoist the dear old Union Jack

Upon the breeze with pride,

And let it with the Southern flag

Wave gaily side by side.

Our fathers fought beneath its folds,

And seamen good and true

Have died undaunted, sworn to save

The old red, white and blue.

United we shall ever stand

For universal good,

And with Britannia hold the rights

Of our great Nationhood.

The sad sea sings their requiem

Along the lonely shore,

And round the lone Peninsula

Re-echoes o’er and o’er.

There they shall rest unto the dawn

Of Resurrection day,

When the great Angels shall descend

And roll the stones away.

Eternal Father, bless again

Our Empire and our King,

And give our rulers wisdom, Lord,

While to the Cross we cling.

Our Soldiers and our Seamen guard,

Let righteousness increase,

For Thou art the Almighty God,

And all Thy paths are peace.