Bloody Omaha

Midnight June the 5th 1944 me and my buddies departed Weymouth and put out to sea 

To smash through Hitler’s eastern wall to liberate Europe and make her once again free 

We knew some, most of us wouldn’t be coming back 

As we neared Omaha beach at 4am we started to take German flak 

From high above us we could hear the bombers delivering there deadly cargo to the enemy on the ground 

The French coast was pummelled as night turned to day followed by the cargos deathly sound 

It looked like the 4th of July and i wondered if I’d ever see another one 

Then our landing craft doors opened my buddies in front didn’t stand a chance bullets tore them to shreds and they were gone 

All around me carnage reigned we were in a killing zone the bluffs seemed so distant they shouldn’t be that far away 

I looked around me at my buddies dying or dead before me some motionless where they lay 

Something had gone terribly wrong we weren’t even on the right stretch of beach 

I needed to get to cover quickly i saw a sand dune took my chance and managed just to reach 

The day was breaking now i gazed around me as the dawn broke through the night 

I felt sickened and appalled at what i saw I’ve never forgot that sight 

And still the carnage continued as one by one the Rangers fell 

I’ve never been a religious man but that morning i saw hell 

The Germans shouldn’t be this strong here that’s what we were told 

But we had to get off this beach i didn’t want to be one of the fallen lying motionless, cold 

There were 36 men left in my unit we now numbered just 5 

The other guys around me were dead or dying i was fighting to survive 

But i was one of the lucky ones i managed to get through that day 

Looking back to that time and such a terrible price my buddies had to pay 

5 beaches were taken that day Gold Juno Sword Omaha and Utah 

I was a young sergeant in the 2nd Rangers my beach was Bloody Omaha 

And in my mind’s eye i still see the beach that day and the sea running red 

I still see the tide washing up my buddies the dying and the dead 

Historians looking back now see where the mistakes were made 

Omaha bloody Omaha it’s referred to is where such a high price was paid 

Nearly 5,000 young Americans and Canadians died on that beach on that day 

We must never forget them they and what they did and the price they had to pay 

Omaha was the bloodiest but lest we not forget the other four 

For they shall always be in my prayers for today and for ever more