All through that day the foe attacked in waves both large and small, All day the guns keep at answering each and every call. The U-boats too are busy but we keep them all at bay, Until the sun goes down and brings an end to one more day. At dusk the battlefleet do leave, NIGERIA takes command, With KENYA, CAIRO, MANCHESTER, and destroyers of sterling brand. But stay: as darkness falls a pack of U-boats closes in, They’re banking all on this attack, they’re going out to win. The CAIRO’s hit, NIGERIA too, the foe we cannot check. INDOMITABLE gets two bombs upon her long fight deck. The convoy’s in confusion but KENYA’s fighting still. Her Captain takes command, the convoy can go through and will. But KENYA doesn’t miss it all, torpedo tracks we see, The Captain turns at one to Port, with still avoiding three. The fourth one hits us for’d. Is our luck to turn at last? But no, we stagger onward, for the moment danger passed. All through the night the convoy steams along Tunisia’s coast, Impossible to get through here, the Wops and Huns all boast. Their E-boats and their submarines attack from dusk till dawn. In dead of night they score a hit and MANCHESTER goes down. The KENYA is the cruiser left, the only one of four. She carries on though damaged, past the enemy’s very door, And in the morning Malta’s seen and what a welcome sight It seemed like home when we recalled the horrors of the night. The CHARYBIDIS has joined us now, the local escort too, The convoy’s handed over, but we’ve STILL A LOT TO DO. The enemy will try to stop our force from getting back, We’ll meet their planes and E-boats and their lurking U-boat pack. The channel’s safely traversed but the bombers swarm like flies. Their bombs screech down, our guns reply and clamour fills the skies. The KENYA’s very nearly hit, the engine room’s on fire, But on and on we fight, each man determined not to tire. For hours and hours that hail of death is poured upon our ships, And many a brave man trembles, a prayer upon his lips, But rest is coming and at last the battlefleet we see. We’ve found our way through hell and back and now once more we’re free. Another convoy’s safely through, the Navy is proud today, But KENYA’s proudest of them all – for she went all the way, And Malta’s once again equipped to stand against the Hun. She’ll always stand, a fortress and isle, until this war is won
37
