They Served

Old they are now in the late winter 
of their lives but in the spring of their
lifetime they answered to their nation's
call when the wild beast of National
Socialist fascism ran amok through
Europe enslaving one country after
another to the ambition of an Austrian
misanthrope determined to rid the
world of sub-human scum leaving only
the Aryan nation that Germany saw
itself to be, a conquering giant of 
military might. Britain stood alone
a bastion of stubborn resistance calling
upon its colonial satraps to respond
and they did; Australia, New Zealand
India and Canada trained their brawny
youth in a march against deadly tyranny
that America saw fit once attacked by
an honourary Aryan Axis-linked nation
to raise its flag and send its contingents
to release Europe from the yoke of its
misery. They served, witnessing not 
the glory of war but the gore that war
breeds and in the process those brave
young men facing an implacable enemy
died in their scores. Survivors recall
their comrades and the battles fought
and among their memories starving
civilian populations eclipsed finally
by the sight of Musselmen, skeletal
yet among the living, those scheduled
by the impeccable Nazi Final Solution
for obliteration, whom liberation gave
opportunity to mourn their dead while
living to see a future almost denied them.
Haunted now by night visions of the war
they fought with their comrades restive
in graves, they yet linger as mementos.