Regimental Day

‘Twas durin’ Regimental Day, the town was up in arms;

The ladies strolled the thoroughfares displayin’ smiles an’ charms.

The boys was slicked up fit to kill, an’ if fond looks would slay

There must a-been a lot o’ deaths on Regimental Day.

Ol’ Bugler Bill was early up to blow the “Reveille”,

“No rookie in the camp kin sleep when I toot that,” says he.

No more he’d finished of his call when from some hand unseen

An onion, unannounced, flew o’er an’ hit Bill on the bean.

There was a scramble at the mess, the camp cook he was new,

He’d been out late the night before partakin’ of some “dew”;

An’ so we had to take a hand, an’ get things under way,

Because we knew we’d got to hump on Regimental Day.

One “Boche”, sure he must a been, helped with the coffee tin,

He grabbed a bag o’ something white an’ dumped a portion in;

He changed our coffee into brine, an’ things then flew his way -

Our courage it was all keyed up for Regimental Day.

Our colonel he was spick an’ span, an’ straight as he could be;

His “staff” was flyin’ here and there to get things up in “G”.

The Cap’ns they were on their toes, an’ so on down the line,

McSweeny he was betted up an’ showed his soldier spine.

The Majors had battalions out an’ put ‘em through the grill,

A few fell down a-doin’ stunts while rushin’ “Bunker Hill”;

But ev’ry man was on his job without no thought o’ play,

Becuz the “staff” was lookin’ on that Regimental Day.

But when the dress parade was done, an’ things slacked up a bit,

That’s when the Regimental boys sure made their biggest hit.

The visitors came swarmin’ in - fair ladies three to one -

An’ soon our streets an’ tents an’ things was fairly over-run.

One woman searched her husband’s tent an’ then exclaimed, “O snum!”

That critter he ain’t ha’f so neat whenever he’s to hum!”

O, many wondrous things took place - just what I cannot say -

But ev’ryone seemed satisfied with Regimental Day.

March 3, 1918