Those Faded Suits Of Green
i am standing at my window
i can hear the tramp of feet
i can hear the soldiers marching
down the bush road and the street
they are coming in to vision
now they can be plainly seen
that swinging of the figures
in those faded suits of green
suits that went in to the dye pot
in a hurry as you know
for the japs was at our door
a crafty cruel foe
no time for fuss and finish
very little lay between
those swarming hords of nippon
and those faded suits of green
the dye came in patches
of pale yellow , green and brown
they were fashioned for the jungle
not for touring round the town
they were not mean't for dandies
just to stand in or preen
they were made for men of action
the faded suits of green
they were men that went to out posts
to the flies , dust and heat
to monotony and boredom
no offensive no retreat
and they missed the path to glory
with their mates at alamein
they were left to guard australia
in their faded suits of green
on the battle fields of papua
on the shores of milne bay
on the road to far kokoda
and down gona , buna way
through the fever stricken jungle
where the nippon lurked unseen
in to slime , slush and slaughter
went those faded suits of green ,
pressing onwards ever onwards
rivers crossed and pathways strange ,
facing death , defying danger
on the owen stanley range
up the hills and down the valleys
through the deep and dark ravine
torn and tattered splashed with
crimson
went those faded suits of green ,
standing at my window
my thoughts wing as before ,
to the rice fields of malaya
to the docks of singapore ,
to the prison camps of nippon
where our comrades , guant lean and weary
,
wait there to be rescued
by those faded suits of green ,
they are coming captive soldiers
tho the way be grim and hard
they will fight to the finish
inch by inch and yard by yard
for no suits of shining armour
worn by knights before a queen ,
ever held such pride and honour
as those faded suits of green ,
when the bells of peace are ringing
as they did in days of yore ,
when the hated sounds of war drums
shall have ceased for ever more ,
when we live in love and laughter
and happiness serene
oh australia
please remember , those faded suits of green.
