The
Boy Entrant Ode
by The Late Charles Truman 25th Air Wireless
From lowly backgrounds
we all came
Thought not good enough for Apprentice fame
Accents strong dressed Sunday best
We arrived to begin our determined quest
Allegiance given dressed
in blue
Heads held high what a mottley crew
They broke us down and built us up
Whatever became of that flabby pup
The square to bash and back
to school
The room to bull the daily rule
Short arm inspections, naked shame
Fit and healthy was the name of the game
Each week we'd wait for
the special day
The point in time we lined up for our pay
Stepping forward, SIR, Knife Fork and Spoon
Here's seven and a tanner, now leave the room
To the NAAFI for a tuppenny
tea
Bromide laced it was said to be
Off to the Astra like a band of brothers
One cigarette shared with fourteen others
The infamous Anson for most
first flight
The parachute straps pulled far too tight
Your turn has arrived, all wish you luck
You walk to the aircraft like a crippled duck
Stood to attention at the
end of the bed
The kit inspection all of us dread
"Not good enough" would yell the C.O.
Out of the window our kit would go
Marching to work they could
not fault
We improved each day our sliding halt
"That's not the drill" the D.I would bark
But to us brats it was our trademark
Half way through, we are
beginning to win
No longer sprogs, new entries are in
We are different from them, one can tell
Our caps are slashed and propped so well
Berets shrunk and shaped
to fit
We do look different, well just a bit
Now senior entry, we have a ball
Trade training finished, we know it all
One week to go to your passout
parade
You are all getting ready for the final charade
You do feel different from all of the rest
You've beaten the system and passed the test
Postings through you study
the maps
Discard the checkered bands from around your caps
Kitbag shouldered, you are ready to go
Saying farewell to the friends you know
We are all getting older,
maybe putting on fat
Remembering the days when we were a brat
Memories fade, what the hell
We've all joined this club with a tale to tell
© Charles
Truman 2001
Design and Contents © 2004-2014 John L Lawrence
Original site launched in July 2004
