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Book: Rhymes of the Red Ensign

The Red Ensign is the ensign flown by ships of the British Merchant Navy and is sometimes called the Red Duster.

These are poems in honour of sailors of the Merchant Navy and R.N.R. many of whom served in the 1914 - 1918 war that had just ended when these were first published in 1919.

Many of the poems had been written during the war and printed in newspapers and magazines such as Punch, Sphere, Windsor Magazine and Daily Chronicle.

Jim Saville

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  • The Derelict
    (Notice to Mariners: "North Atlantic Ocean, — derelict reported")
    I left her headed for Lord-knows-where, in latitude forty-ni
    30 lines, 2 comments
  • Lieutenant Shellback R.N.R.
    He has learnt the ways of the ships at sea
    In most of the sorts of ships there be, —
    67 lines
  • The Boats Of The Albacore
    "Five boats there was," says Bristol Tim, "in the steamship Albacore —
    She used to sail on the Far East run 'tween Hull an' S
    27 lines
  • The Lone Hand
    She took her tide and she passed the Bar with the first o' the morning light;
    She dipped her flag to the coast patrol at the coming
    19 lines
  • The Open Boat
    'When this 'ere war is done (says Dan) an' all the fighting's through,
    There's some will pal with Fritz again as they've been used to
    18 lines, 2 comments
  • Merchantmen (1917)
    All honour be to merchantmen,
    And ships of all degree,
    35 lines
  • The Old Vindictive
    It was the old Vindictive out of Dover put to sea,
    And she sailed to the Lowlands low,
    31 lines
  • London River
    Half a score o' sailormen that want to sail once more,
    Cruising round the waterside with the Peter at the fore!
    16 lines
  • Leave Her Johnnie
    A hundred miles from the Longships Light —
    Leave her, Johnnie, leave her! —
    24 lines
  • Pals
    'What's become o' the ship you went to sea with
    A month ago or more?
    23 lines
  • Hans Dans An' Me
    Hans Dans an' me was shipmates once, an' shared the wind an' weather,
    An' many a job o' work in them old days we done together;
    19 lines, 1 comment
  • Poor Old Ship
    She wasn't much to brag about, she wasn't much to see,
    A rusty, crusty hooker as a merchant ship could be;
    38 lines, 2 comments
  • Wireless
    The ships call night and day,
    They call both far and near . . .
    18 lines
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