Unknown, 'Battery Sergeant Major'

[duathir.livejournal.com]

Battery Sergeant Major

Who struts a backward angle of forty-five degrees?
Who’s dangerous to disobey and difficult to please?
Who digs a great hole on parade whene’er he ‘stamps’ at ease?
Our Battery Sergeant Major.

Who lifts us out of lassitude and works for our salvation
with drill, fatigues, fatigues and drill, and lots of perspiration?
Who’s never heard the blissful words - rest and relaxation?
Our Battery Sergeant Major.

Who rushes round like mad at night and never goes to bed?
Who never misses a mistake, or leaves a thing unsaid?
Who’s rather short, and getting stout - who’s face is rather red?
Is yours Sergeant Major??

Who likes to cast his loving gaze along a perfect line?
And see upon each beret’d brow a brilliant brassy shine?
Who sticks and pokes his own chest out - but rather low behind..?
Our Battery Sergeant Major.

Who’s fearfuller than subbies, a terror worse than tanks?
Who’s speech comprises when he’s wild just blankity blank blanks?
Who’s often known as “so and so”? - who’s called among the ranks,
that .......* Sergeant Major???

(* Battery, of course)

Adapted from a poem in the NZA's Z1 Courier, January 1941