Another lot of anxious trainees

To motivate and supervise

Watch the body language and for

Fatigue in their in their dazed eyes.

Hot sweaty feet plunged

Into that cold running stream

Running high from yesterday's

 Pouring rain, now but a dream.

Lasts night’s soaking clothes

Having steamed themselves dry

As we walked across the moor

The map and compass to steer by

Following the given bearing

Most time breaking our own track

For to  deviate could  mean a referee

Sending us a hard penalty mile back.

This scheduled break a little early to

Top waters bottles up before the treat

Of that quite fast current bringing

Some relief to aching sweaty feet.

Two days of Autumn storms

Two days of kit soaking wet

And now this unseasonal hot sun 

How much better could it get.

The misery of soaking sleeping bags

And two shivering, broken sleep nights

Disappearing into memory in the heat

And with the end now almost in sight.

Clean feet eased into now dry boots

Take the bearing across this bog

Top heavy packs biting shoulders

As we start the long last slog,

Cold beers tonight in Princetown

After this three day forced drag

All the trainees safely through

And all now with the right to brag.

Fresh eager faces proud at having survived 

That we are helping turn slowly into trained men

Tonight we drink with them and they pass on and

We await the next lot’s arrival and we do it all again.