When Gough\u2019s guns on the Sutlej<\/p>\n
In flame begin to play<\/p>\n
Far down in fair Calcutta<\/p>\n
We started on our way<\/p>\n
Mid the crash of charging squadrons<\/p>\n
And the crossing cannon-balls<\/p>\n
The heroes of Sobraon<\/p>\n
Kept the birth-day of St Paul\u2019s<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When Garvock\u2019s men were forcing<\/p>\n
Umbeyla\u2019s trap of stone<\/p>\n
We came up to Darjeeling<\/p>\n
And made the hill our own<\/p>\n
The mighty Kinchin-Junga<\/p>\n
Beheld our rising walls<\/p>\n
And flashed from all his glaciers<\/p>\n
A greeting to St Paul\u2019s<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
We front the stars of heaven<\/p>\n
The top-cost school on earth<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve drawn the breath of conquest<\/p>\n
Into our lungs from birth<\/p>\n
The Himalayan Eagle<\/p>\n
That soars and sweeps and falls<\/p>\n
Scarce seeks a higher Eyrie<\/p>\n
Than the play-ground of St Paul\u2019s<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
As high as in our dwelling<\/p>\n
So shall our hearts be high<\/p>\n
With body soul and spirit<\/p>\n
To work until we die<\/p>\n
And higher ever higher<\/p>\n
When Fame and Duty calls<\/p>\n
Shall rise the answering \u201cAdsum\u201d<\/p>\n
From the play-ground of St Paul\u2019s<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
And when our work is over<\/p>\n
North, South or East or West<\/p>\n
And we turn to meet our Maker<\/p>\n
Having tried to do our best<\/p>\n
We shall know that in Darjeeling<\/p>\n
As each good wicket falls<\/p>\n
They\u2019ll be cheering wildly cheering<\/p>\n
On the play-ground of St Paul\u2019s<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Pretty handed the poem to Tom<\/p>\n
Where did you say you found it? <\/i><\/p>\n
In a book of Kipling\u2019s poems <\/i><\/p>\n
I thought it might have been one of his but seems to be somebody writing in his style <\/i><\/p>\n
There are a number of grammatical errors in the poem <\/i><\/p>\n
I think it might have been written by an Indian gentleman who much admired Kipling <\/i><\/p>\n
That accounts for the poor English <\/i><\/p>\n
Maybe <\/i><\/p>\n
Is there any clue as to the poet?<\/i><\/p>\n
Well there are initial\u2019s after the poem<\/i><\/p>\n
E.A.N<\/i><\/p>\n
Are there any other clues?<\/i><\/p>\n
The name D.B.Singh appears and this is dated the 18\/11\/22 <\/i><\/p>\n
That is when I suppose the poem was written <\/i><\/p>\n
Kipling was still alive <\/i><\/p>\n
Very much so <\/i><\/p>\n
It was about a quarter of a century before independence <\/i><\/p>\n
A lost era which will never return<\/i><\/p>\n
You sound nostalgic for it <\/i><\/p>\n
Yes I suppose I am <\/i><\/p>\n
My parents were in India in the late 1940s <\/i><\/p>\n
Were they glad to return to England? <\/i><\/p>\n
Yes and no<\/i><\/p>\n
You cannot go to India and not miss it that was what my father told me <\/i><\/p>\n
But he did not miss the poverty and the disease <\/i><\/p>\n
There is not much in England that can kill you <\/i><\/p>\n
I agree one can stroll around this great country of ours and feel safe\u00a0 <\/i><\/p>\n
On the cricket pitch Phillips had been bowled for sixty-three<\/p>\n
St Paul\u2019s still needed eighteen to win<\/p>\n
I think it is up to you and Perkins to win the match <\/i><\/p>\n
That is why it is so much fun being the last man in <\/i><\/p>\n
Good luck Tom <\/i><\/p>\n
I will need it Pretty <\/i><\/p>\n
Tom walked out to the crease and was soon facing his first ball<\/p>\n
Pretty sat back in her deck-chair in anticipation<\/p>\n
The ball was poor and Tom tucked it away for a four<\/p>\n
Only fourteen to win<\/p>\n
On the boundary a tall Indian gentleman was watching the game<\/p>\n
The bowler from the opposition appeared to have lost his nerve and another poor ball was played to the boundary by Tom<\/p>\n
They\u2019ll be cheering wildly cheering
\nOn the play-ground of St Paul\u2019s <\/i><\/p>\n
Pretty walked towards the Indian gentleman<\/p>\n
Excuse me are you by any chance D.B.Singh?<\/i><\/p>\n
No my father is long dead <\/i><\/p>\n
I am D.G.Singh
\n<\/i><\/p>\n
Tom is a fine batsman <\/i><\/p>\n
I agree if he took it seriously <\/i><\/p>\n
Well played Sir <\/i><\/p>\n
Another four was added to the scoreboard<\/p>\n
Only six to win <\/i><\/p>\n
What is your name?<\/i><\/p>\n
Pretty <\/i><\/p>\n
That is a nice name<\/i><\/p>\n
It is not my real name <\/i><\/p>\n
My real name is Jane <\/i><\/p>\n
Perkins was facing the first ball of the new over<\/p>\n
He looked confident<\/p>\n
I fear he going to lose his wicket <\/i><\/p>\n
Why do you say that?<\/i><\/p>\n
He is taking chances <\/i><\/p>\n
I have seen many men do that in battle and lose their lives<\/i><\/p>\n
The bowler has seen that he has left his off stump slightly exposed <\/i><\/p>\n
Perkins expects him to try to take that stump out <\/i><\/p>\n
But the bowler is experienced and he will bowl straight <\/i><\/p>\n
Perkins will lose his wicket and with that St Paul\u2019s will lose the match <\/i><\/p>\n
The Indian gentleman was correct as Perkin\u2019s wicket was shattered by the next ball<\/p>\n
The match was lost<\/p>\n
Bad luck Tom <\/i><\/p>\n
The better side won <\/i><\/p>\n
I was speaking to an Indian gentleman who said that Perkins would lose his wicket<\/i><\/p>\n
Where were you standing?<\/i><\/p>\n
On the boundary near the Ash tree <\/i><\/p>\n
You were alone Pretty<\/i><\/p>\n
I thought you were singing to yourself or something <\/i><\/p>\n
No there was an Indian gentleman speaking with me <\/i><\/p>\n
You were alone mark my word<\/i><\/p>\n
Pretty smiled nervously<\/p>\n
Where is the poem?<\/i><\/p>\n
I left it on the deck-chair when I went out to bat <\/i><\/p>\n
It is not there now perhaps it has blown away <\/i><\/p>\n
There is no breeze to speak of today <\/i><\/p>\n
Tom and Pretty searched for the poem for a few minutes<\/p>\n
I am sure that someone will find it good luck to them <\/i><\/p>\n
Let me clean up and then I shall take you for a spanking tea <\/i><\/p>\n
That would be most agreeable Tom <\/i><\/p>\n
As she left the cricket field Pretty looked back at the empty pitch<\/p>\n
On the boundary near the Ash tree she saw the Indian gentleman again<\/p>\n
He was holding the poem and staring at the vacant wicket<\/p>\n
Be quick Tom for some reason I have worked up a huge appetite this afternoon<\/i><\/p>\n
Even though it is so hot <\/i><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/i>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When Gough\u2019s guns on the Sutlej In flame begin to play Far down in fair Calcutta We started on our way Mid the crash of charging squadrons And the crossing cannon-balls The heroes of Sobraon Kept the birth-day of St Paul\u2019s When Garvock\u2019s men were forcing Umbeyla\u2019s trap of stone We came up to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2464"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2464"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2464\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}