Lyrics Lieutennants Coghill and Melvill - John Edmond

Two soldiers in their lonely graves
On a rugged hillside they were laid
Any soldier under fire, would be reckless or a liar
If he said he never was afraid

Isandlwana Battlefield in 1879
British soldiers heard the Zulu battle- cry
Martini Henry- rifles and their bayonets were no match
For twenty five thousand Zulu assegais
And so Lieutenants Coghill and Melvill
Saw the battle lost and rode away
To save the regimental colors from the foe
And save themselves to fight again, another day

Coghill reached the swollen Buffalo River on his mount
Though the roaring current made it safe across
Saw two floundering soldiers; Melvill colors in his hand
Dashed back in to save them, upon his horse
And so lieutenants Coghill and Melvill
With Higginson to the other side they swam
Under Zulu torment, lost the colors in the torrent
Up the bank they staggered and they ran
Though they made it through the gauntlet, colors they were lost
Looking back they would never have believed
That they saved the honor of the gallant 24th
From the river, the colors were later retrieved
And so lieutenant Coghill and Melvill
Pursued and killed, fighting to the end
Although Lieutenant Melvill tried to save the colors
Coghill saved a comrade and he save a friend

Two soldiers in their lonely graves
On a rugged hillside they were laid
Any soldier under fire, would be reckless or a liar
If he said he never was afraid
If he said he never was afraid