We proudly served and followed the flag,
hailed as heroes – liberators of Iraq.
We fought with courage, faced the ultimate test,
with honour and valour we all tried our best.

We achieved our objectives, forced the change of regime,
counted our dead, young lives wasted it seems:
As with hindsight we’re told that our conduct was woeful,
journalists clamour to point it out as unlawful.

Headlines cry out with tales of abuse,
we’re painted as killing for fun, no excuse.
An illegal invasion, a political game,
an embarrassing endeavour that now carries great shame.

So what now for the veterans who were sent for the cause?
Who were told it was just, and believed that it was.
Who trusted the government that said it was right,
who out of duty were obliged to enter the fight.

We endured much hardship to do the right thing,
with no concept of the guilt and great shame it would bring.
How could we have known when we first answered the call
that we’d be consigned to the history books as not right at all.