A Glimpse of the Gulf War 1990/91

This is a true overall account as I recollect the conflict. If this piece is recieved well I will post others.

 

 

For years I’d trained for war, and never had to go,

Would I take the pressure? Me, I didn’t know.

We’d hold communications, to stop Iraqi missions,

I prayed that we’d survive, that was my main ambition.

 

As brave as any man, my son said he would wait,

Two days before departure, he had just turned eight.

My wife was also brave, outwardly you see,

She stayed calm for Andrew, it wasn’t done for me.

 

Detached across the desert, our fate was in God’s hands,

We’d served on foreign soil, but never in these lands.

Days before, the chaplain prayed. He told us, ‘Worry not’,

Would we live? Would we die? We gave it plenty thought.

 

Once amidst the war, bombs dropping through each night,

Iraq would pay a heavy price, but we believed it right.

Was it power? Was it oil?, or all-consuming greed?

We were the Allied powers, we’d see Kuwait was freed

 

Through the nights the bombers, made continual flights,

Soldiers of Saddam were killed, they had no human rights.

Teenage lads to well-trained men, his forces were all ages,

Bombing stopped, tanks went in, a conflict fought in stages.

 

Each day and night I’d recollect, the reasons for past wars,

Young men dying in their prime, was it for ‘just cause’?

One cold night as I recall, I worried ‘bout me dying,

But I had to rally round, I heard a comrade crying.

 

A British APC was hit, and all the crew were killed,

Although we didn’t know the lads, with sorrow we were filled.

Though different Corps and Regiment, we counted them as mates,

It dawned on every one of us, that we could share their fates.

 

Fifty four of us went out, whilst there we’d been a Troop,

All of us returned home safe, a sober, happy group.

Like British squaddies throughout time, a bond between us grew,

The reason for ‘Remembrance Day’, we now felt we all knew.

 

 

* * *

 

*Author's note: I was the Troop Staff Sergeant

within a year of my career ending.

Our Troop Officer was 25 and just starting out.

Author's Note

I was then within a year of completing my 23 years service with the British Army.
I was the the Troop Staff Sergeant (Gunny is the US equivalent).
Our Troop Officer was 25 years old and early on in his career.