Lyrics

There’s many a tragic story in our annals oft retold
How sailors brave their strength they gave up to the savage foe
How many’s the life was saved in war by a friendly outstretched hand
And in dire events how providence brought out the good in man

That’s how it was that February, nineteen forty-two
When death in a raging blizzard from out the south’ard blew
And the victims when that awful dawn broke on Placentia Bay
Were the Truxtun and the Pollux bound for Argentiabase

Bound for to help the Allied cause and Hitler’s grip to free
The mighty hand of Uncle Sam was welcomed heartily
But now off course by thirty miles the two ships blindly drove
Upon the stark cold merciless Lawn Point and Chamber’s Cove

As the great ships beat on the raging reefs with sailors numbed and shocked
And many who swam to grasp for life were dashed against the rocks
While the black oil bleeding from the tanks blotted the raging tide
And men in tearful agony cried out to God to die

When the people of Lawn and St. Lawrence got the message of despair
Their thoughts were of those helpless men and how their lives to spare
Those Newfoundland bred fisher-folk built of the sternest stuff
Made for that treacherous icy ledge to call disaster’s bluff

How the mighty has fallen like the ancient poet said
This winter gale with its frost like hell claimed two hundred four men dead
By the meek that he chose to deliver those not yet meant to die
One-eighty odd by the grace of God were hauled from that grave alive

There’s many a tragic story in our annals of yesterday
And the loss of the Truxtun and Pollux will forever in memory stay
For a monument to the living and dead in St. Lawrence proudly stands
To represent our providence, brings out the good in man
It represents our providence, brings out the good in man

Source:

The Mudcat Cafe, Lyr Add: Loss of the Truxton and Pollux.