I-MAG STS Corporation
The poem TOMMY was written by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) as part of the
Barrack-Room Ballads, themselves dedicated "To T.A.") in 1892. One legend
to explain the choice of the name Tommy Atkins as a generic for British
soldiers concerns the Duke of Wellington during the Battle of Boxtel in 1794
during the Flanders Campaign. The Duke was in command of the 33rd
Regiment of Foot and encountered a Private Thomas Atkins, who was terribly
wounded. The Private said "It's all right, sir. It's all in a day's work" and died
shortly after.
The poem is structured as four lines (two couplets) spoken by the narrator, a
soldier, followed by a four line refrain. Some selected lines
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
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For Japan and the reactor workers at Fukushima the seismic drums have
rolled, and there is indeed trouble in the wind.