The Battle of Charles Devonport
John C Munro

Welcome home to Derby Charles, welcome back from Nova Scotia
So many miles, so long to wait and never know your mother,
But I knew you'd mend the broken thread,
The one I never wanted broken,
So here we'll set the record straight, trade one past for another

I never think about the war, it conjures up too many shadows
When life was hanging by a thread, and nothing seemed to matter
Then a child myself I bore a child,
they said it best to hand you over
And who was I in guilt and shame to think that I knew better

The sisters said they'd bring you up and give you what I couldn't offer
Another family, different name, they said I'd soon forget you
And to keep you from the pain and loss,
"poor orphan" was the tale they told you
and to cleanly cover every trace, to Canada they sent you

You must have wondered through the years, as you grew to be this different person
What link you were within the chain, what went to make this man
And Oh to be somebody's son,
And oh to be somebody's brother
To be complete, to know your name
And how your life began

You found your way to Derby Charles, you tracked me down from Nova Scotia
To kneel beside the stone that says, I was your loving mother
But you took too long, I couldn't wait
But here you see I always loved you
Too late to see it in my eyes
Too late for starting over