F
They disembarked in 45,
Bb
And no-one spoke and no-one smiled
C                                  F
There were to many spaces in the line.
Gathered at the cenotaph
Bb
All agreed with the hand on heart,
C                              F
To sheath the sacrificial knives.
             F
But now, she stands upon Southampton dock
         Bb
With her handkerchief
                      C
And her summer frock, clings
                          F
To her wet body in the rain.
In quiet desperation, knuckles
Bb
White upon the slippery reins
    C                                 F
She bravely waves the boys goodbye again.

[Verse 2]
    Bb         Bbm   F
Mm
Bb
And still the dark stain spreads between
      F
their shoulder blades.
Bb                     F                         F7  Gm7
A mute reminder of the poppy fields and graves.
F7  Bb                 C      Dm7  C7/E
And when the fight was over
   F          Am7      Dm
We spent what they had made.
    Gm7
But in the bottom of our hearts
                  F
We felt the final cut.