Donaldson V.C.

The year was 1934, and I remember it so well, That peaceful time before the War, When so many of my friends marched in to Hell. But going back to 1934, Before the wounds that never healed, Fighting to win a different 'War', Playing for the 'Lockhart Cricket Shield'. The College Team was excellent that year; The 'Favourites', you could say, to win their games; A group of lads who showed no fear, And I remember all their names.... There was Bates and Evans in the slips, And Chester, ready in the deep; And Wilson's spinning finger tips, And Bentley-James, to wicket-keep; The flashing 'blade' of Vernon-Brown, Who liked to bat at number three, Hitting the ball around the ground, For every man and boy to see; Those great 'all-rounders', Henderson and Blake, Equally as good with bat and ball; The lightning pace of Butterworth and Drake, But one name was greater than them all.... Donaldson.... William Robert Donaldson, Billy to all his friends, Hoping to score a thousand runs, before the Season ends. And it was done with time to spare, upon that College field, Triumphantly raising in the air, the 'Lockhart Cricket Shield'. But he played his greatest innings in 1943, Leading out those brave young men, and winning the VC; Billy the Hero, once again, but this time in the War, Carrying on despite the pain, to reach his highest score.