Slim Dusty A Rose of Red song lyrics

Back to the rear of battle, a digger boy was gay

Thoughts of home, across the sea, filled his heart today

No thought of danger lingered, in the soldier's head,

As loudly did he sing of love, of love and roses red,

I have a childhood sweetheart who waits so patiently

A rose of red is in her hair, to show her love for me,

We'll build a home together, when I return from war

With roses red a homely site, growin' round the door.

The soldier boy kept singing, his heart was warm today,

When from the trees a vicious crack and death was on it's way,

The happy boy stopped singing, and nothing we could do

The air was cold, he lay so still, the sniper's aim was true.

We picked him up so gently and this is what was seen

A rose of red from a sniper's shot, across his shirt of green

The bullet travelled onward, deadly in it's flight

A girl so sad, her love has gone, a rose had died tonight