Follow The Colours

Lyrics by William de Courcy Stretton

©Durham County Record Office [D/DLI 2/7/23]

©Durham County Record Office [D/DLI 2/7/23]

Thousands, thousands of marching feet,

All through the land, all through the land;

Gunners and Sappers, Horse and Foot,

A mighty band, a mighty band.

Follow the Colours, follow on,

Where’er they go, where’er they go;

Loyal the hearts that guard them well,

’Twas ever so, ’twas ever so.

March, march, march!

Roll the drums, and blow the fifes,

And make the bagpipes drone;

Glory for some and a chance for all,

Till we come again to our own.

Follow the Colours, follow on,

Where’er they go, where’er they go;

Loyal the hearts that guard them well,

’Twas ever so, ’twas ever so.

England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales

Send forth their sons, send forth their sons;

Children of Empire seas beyond

Stand to their guns, stand to their guns.

Follow the Colours, follow on,

Where’er they go, where’er they go;

Loyal the hearts that guard them well,

’Twas ever so, ’twas ever so.

What's in the wind now, what's toward?

Who cares a bit, who cares a bit?

Marching orders, we're on the way

To settle it, to settle it.

Follow the Colours, follow on,

Where’er they go, where’er they go;

Loyal the hearts that guard them well,

’Twas ever so, ’twas ever so.

Some will return, and some remain,

We heed it not, we heed it not;

Something’s wrong, to put it right’s

The Soldier’s lot, the Soldier’s lot.