<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="" class="head">The Whole Duty of a Compan <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/> Officer</h1><h1 align="" class="head">(i) The Offensive Spirit <em>Tune</em>--"It's the only, only way"</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">IF at night you see a Hun,</p><p class="line">Be it many or just one,</p><p class="line">Crawling out about the ground,</p><p class="line">Don't you make a single sound.</p><p class="line">Watch him till you see him roll</p><p class="line">Into a convenient hole,</p><p class="line">Take your Mills, pull out the pin,</p><p class="line">Then just lob it in.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">It's the only, only way,</p><p class="line">It's the only game to play,</p><p class="line">He's the only Bosche, and it's only fair,</p><p class="line">For you haven't got any bombs to spare,</p><p class="line">So you strafe him on the spot</p><p class="line">With the only Mills you've got,</p><p class="line">If you're only wise, you will only say</p><p class="line">"That's the umpteenth Bosche that I've killed to-day ";</p><p class="line">So take my advice, and you'll count him twice--</p><p class="line">It's the o—o—only way.</p></div><h1 align="" class="head">(ii) Co-operation</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">If the Bosches should attack,</p><p class="line">And your runners can't get back,</p><p class="line">And his bloody barrage-fire's</p><p class="line">Broken all your buzzer wires,</p><p class="line">Don't get flurried, my young friend,</p><p class="line">Or attempt your wires to mend,</p><p class="line">If you want to stop the foe,</p><p class="line">Let your rockets go.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">It's the only, only way,</p><p class="line">It's the telephonely way,</p><p class="line">Here's a barrage on, and you can't get through,</p><p class="line">So put up your S.O.S.,</p><p class="line">And the guns will answer, " Yes,"</p><p class="line">You will find it really the game to play</p><p class="line">If the Bosche attacks you by night or day,</p><p class="line">Just get on the guns, and you'll smash the Huns,</p><p class="line">It's the O—O—only way.</p></div><h1 align="" class="head">(iii) The Acquisition of Decorations</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">If you want a D.S.O.,</p><p class="line">Or a small M.C. or so,</p><p class="line">Don't go crawling rashly out</p><p class="line">When there's nobody about,</p><p class="line">In the middle of a fight</p><p class="line">Ask a private for a light--</p><p class="line">The correspondent's interview</p><p class="line">Will do the rest for you.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">It's the only, only way,</p><p class="line">It's the only game to play,</p><p class="line">For there's nothing people at home like more</p><p class="line">Than, tobacco smoke in the midst of war,</p><p class="line">So get out your cigarette</p><p class="line">Or a pipe is better yet,</p><p class="line">If a general comes, he will only say,</p><p class="line">That's the coolest man that I've seen to-day,</p><p class="line">Take his name for me for our next V.C.,"</p><p class="line">It's the o—o—only way.</p></div></body></html> · Great War