<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="" class="head">Complaint of Our Private Soldiers</h1><h1 align="" class="head"><em>Tune</em>--" We are but little children weak "</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">WE are but little Seaforths weak,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Our pay is seven bob a week.</p><p class="line">Whate'er we do by night or day,</p><p class="line">It makes no difference to our pay.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Our hours a day are twenty-four,</p><p class="line">We thank the Lord there are no more,</p><p class="line">For if there were, we know that we</p><p class="line">Would work another two or three.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">There is one thing we do believe,</p><p class="line">That we're entitled to some leave;</p><p class="line">We know not why we are so cursed,</p><p class="line">We'll get our old-age pensions first.</p></div><p>I am indebted for this lyric to the privates of No. 16 Platoon of my Battalion. I don't know how many survive of the composers, but I record my thanks to them here. </p></body></html> · Great War