War - Ww2 - Scurvy And The Ran Poem by Paul Warren

Manning Australian man o' wars in the Pacific
Meant long boring patrols that were not too specific
For the Royal Australian Navy who were duty bound
In the first part of the Second World War they found
Hunting down the odd German Commerce Raider
Was the only duty that they had for them to savour

Manning Ships that were designed for cooler climes
But the issue for these Australians sailors to mind
Was the tropical conditions at the equator meant for them
They couldn't keep fruit or vegetables fresh in the end
And so some of these sailors were seen to suffer from
The old disease of scurvy with lethargy and fatigue to come.

© Paul Warren Poetry