'In the year of thirty-nine' Assembled here the volunteers In the days when lands were few Here the ship sailed out into the blue and sunny morn The sweetest sight ever seen And the night followed day And the story tellers say That the score brave souls inside For many a lonely day Sailed across the milky seas Never looked back never feared never cried Don't you here my call Thought you're many years away Don't you hear me calling you Write your letters in the sand For the day I'll take your hand In the land that our grand-children knew 'In the year of thirty-nine' Came a ship in from the blue The volunteers came home that day And they bring good news Of a world so newly born Though their hearts so heavily weigh For the earth is old and grey Little darlin' we'll away But my love this cannot be Oh so many years have gone Though I'm older than a year Your mothers eyes from your eyes cry to me Don't you hear my call Though you're may years away Don't you hear me calling you Write your letters in the sand For the day I'll take you hand In the land that our grand-children knew Don't you hear my call Though you're may years away Don't you hear me calling you All your letters in the sand Cannot heal me like your hand For my life still ahead pity me