24 DECEMBER 1943, Page 8

THE CHOICE

YES, of course it was sin,

And no Christ would say, " Fight For the right," But we had to win.

When the chaplain would bluster and blow About laying the rod Of God On the back of " His foe," I knew it was all just a form, And there was no fiery sword, And the Lord Was not in the storm.

Yet—to have stood aside Hoarding my fortunate life With my wife While the other men died!

Some sor,t of god, good or bad, Would have kept me longing in vain To be slain • As I am, if I had. December 31st, 1916.

[This poem, written in France by the late C. E Montague, auth of Rough justice and other works, is reproduCed by permission fr the Life of C. E. Montague, by Oliver Elton, published by Chatto a Windus.]