A Veteran’s Poem – The Russians Are Coming

The Russians Are Coming

Dedicated to:

My father, uncle, mother too who played their part in world war 2
In army, navy, air force blue, they fought for peace for me and you.

When I was in the army in nineteen-sixty-one
We monitored our radar screens, it wasn’t too much fun
We were the air sea watch brigade and out to sea we stared
For ships and planes with bombs and guns, for war we were prepared.

The Suez war was over, when I was only young
The Irish war in 61 had hardly just begun
The cold war had since started and Russia was our foe
We looked for reds under our beds and spoke in voices low.

We had our pick axe handles to fight them at their game
We posted out our lookouts if up the cliffs they came
Our radar was top secret, their main intent was clear
To let them steal our secrets would cost our country dear!

Some nights our peace was shattered when air raid sirens clattered
Come on Get Up! Get out of Bed, The Sergeant Major shouted!
We left our beds and combed the cliffs for grappling irons anchored
Was up the cliffs they’ll come we’re warned, must cut their ropes it mattered

My stomach started churning and then I want the loo
It’s nerves, I know, but still I’m scared, I don’t know what |I’ll do
If one popped up in front of me, will I be well prepared
To hit him with my handle – I never thought I care.

Our leaders, proud with threats so strong from both the east and west
Want power of the world through war and khaki battledress
With bullets flying all around and all the blood and gore
It’s still another human, who might not want a war.

But then the all clear siren goes, my heart begins to settle
Thank goodness now, I never had the chance to show my mettle
I didn’t have to fight that night – my fear was not diminished
The cold war still went on each day and threats were never finished.

By Carol Younger- August 2024

Carol served as an NCO with the WRAC in 1961 as a Radar and Communications trainer.