INCLUSIVE EDITION, 1885-1918 551
Ubique means the tearin' drift where, breech-blocks jammed
with mud,
The khaki muzzles duck an' lift across the khaki flood. Ubique means the dancing plain that changes rocks to Boers. Ubique means the mirage again an' shellin' all outdoors.
Ubique means "Entrain at once for Grootdefeatfontein"! Ubique means "Off-load your guns" at midnight in the
rain! Ubique means "More mounted men. Return all guns
to store." Ubique means the R. A. M. R. Infantillery Corps!
Ubique means that warnin' grunt the perished linesman
knows, When o'er 'is strung an' sufferin' front the shrapnel sprays 'is
foes;
An' as their firin' dies away the 'usky whisper runs From lips that 'ave n't drunk all day: "The Guns! Thank
Gawd, the Guns!"
Extreme, depressed, point-blank or short, end-first or any'ow, From Colesberg Kop to Quagga's Poort from Ninety-Nine
till now
By what I've 'card the others tell an' I in spots 'ave seen, There's nothin* this side 'Eaven or 'Ell Ubique does n't mean!
THE RETURN
(All Arms)
DEACE is declared, an' I return
To 'Ackneystadt, but not the same; Things 'ave transpired which made me learn
The size and meanin' of the game.