The Lowestoft Boat

(East Coast Patrols of the War)

In Lowestoft a boat was laid 
Mark well what I do say
And she was built for the herring trade 
   But she has gone a-rovin’, a-rovin’, a-rovin’, 
   The Lord knows where !  

They gave her Government coal to burn,
And a Q.F. gun at bow and stern, 
And sent her out a-rovin’, a-rovin’, a-rovin’, 
   The Lord knows where !  

Her skipper was mate of a bucko ship 
 Which always killed one man per trip, 
So he is used to rovin’, a-rovin’, a-rovin’, 
   The Lord knows where !  

Her mate was skipper of a chapel in Wales, 
And so he fights in topper and tails - 
Religious tho’ rovin’, a-rovin’, a-rovin’, 
   The Lord knows where !  

Her engineer is fifty-eight, 
So he’s prepared to meet his fate, 
Which ain’t unlikely rovin’, a-rovin’, a-rovin’, 
   The Lord knows where !  

Her leading stoker’s seventeen, 
So he don’t know what the Judgements mean, 
Unless he cops them rovin’, a-rovin’, a-rovin’, 
   The Lord knows where !  

Her chef was cook in the Lost Dogs’ Home, 
   Mark well what I do say
And I’m sorry for Fritz when they all come 
   A-rovin’, a-rovin’, a-roarin’ and a-rovin’, 
   Round the North Sea rovin’, 
   The Lord knows where !

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