moggy1968
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2013
- Messages
- 2,938
For remembrance
THE MEDIC
When the bullet hits the bone
The cry goes out
‘Medic, MEDIC!’
As your life blood oozes out
Into the soil of this foreign field
As the pain starts its evil grip
You call for your mother
But she isn't here, she cannot help you
So you cry out for God
But he isn't here, he cannot help you
So you cry out ‘Medic, medic’
I am here brother
I am coming for you
I will help you
I am here brother
‘Incoming, incoming, take cover’
But I cannot, I am coming for you brother
I break cover and I run
I jink from left to right
As the sound of a thousand bees pass my head
I am with you brother, I am with you
Torrents of sweat pour from under my helmet
It runs from my chin and nose
My breath is fast and urgent
I am scared but I am calm
The cold sweat runs inside my armour
I tear open my bag
Dressings packed into the remains of your leg
A tourniquet around your thigh
Morphine in your arm
More rounds come in
I shield you with my body
The dirt falls all around
I tell you you will be OK
But I don’t know if you will
As I work, I shout for EVAC
A drip in your arm
A dressing to the other
I cut open your jacket
Another dressing to your chest
The needle tears it’s hole
The sweetest pain of all
As it pushes into your chest
The air escapes with a hiss
Blood bubbles from is aperture
The breathing comes a little easier now
The morphine clouds your head
But the pain is still your relentless foe
You close your eyes against the sun
The pain is all around
All the senses heightened
The sickly smell of blood
the acrid stench of burnt flesh
The dry stale smell of the desert
The memories that will haunt me all my life
The sound of the distant chopper
As your fingers grip the earth
Through the fog of pain and morphine
You hear it too, salvations sound
Rotors swirl the dust, I shield your face and eyes
The team run from the aircraft
When they are by my side
We shout above the noise
We are with you Brother
We are with you
Strong arms lift you gently
From that foreign field
To a British stretcher and to safety
The blinding sun is gone
As they place you on the aircraft floor
The firefight is over now
Seated in the dirt I use the sand
To wipe the blood from my hands
I take my canteen from it’s pouch
Trembling now I savour cool water
When you needed me Brother I was there
While others took cover
I was there for you brother
We are the thankless, the derided
bravest of the brave
I am, a Medic
Capt Andy Thompson QARANC (v) retd