It was just before dawn one miserable morning in black '44,
when the forward commander was told to "sit tight",
when he asked that his men be withdrawn.

And the Generals gave thanks as the other ranks
held back the enemy tanks, for awhile.

And the Anzio Bridgehead was held for the price of
a few hundred ordinary lives.

And kind old King George sent mother a note
when he heard that father was gone.
It was I recall, in the form of a scroll
with gold leaf put on.

And I found it one day in a drawer of old photographs, hidden away.

And my eyes still grow damp to remember
his majesty signed it with his own rubber stamp.

It was dark all around, there was frost in the ground,
when the Tigers broke free.
And no one survived from the Royal Fusiliers,
Company C.

They were all left behind, most of them dead,
the rest of them dying.

And that's how the high command
took my daddy from me.

--From "The Film" by Pink Floyd