IN THE TIRELIS SWAMP

The legendary Christmas battles commenced on December 23,
1916 at surroundings of the Tirelis swamp near Machinegun hill – it
was the largest assault of the Russian 12th army in which Latvian
Riflemen bore the brunt. After week long fights the combat mission
of winning back Machinegun hill was fulfilled, but due to an
inefficient action of Russian generals more than five
thousands of Latvian Riflemen were dead...




Narration: We don't talk about World War I,
we have forgotten about it, forgotten those our friends
who fell then. It seems to me completely wrong...
We didn't defend Czar, no! We did defend our land!
And every place where we fought, where our battle-mates
have stayed, that is unforgettable, sacred place...


The Northwind howls like wounded beast
And turns snowstorm across the swamp
It disturbs the rest of silent shapes
And throws wet snow in their faces

Side by side, hundreds they sleep
And look at the sky with empty eyes
Who will dare to go and tell their mothers
That their sons are destined to stay forever
There in the Tirelis swamp...

In that frosty Christmas morning
Through the sea of barbed wires
Latvian regiments flowed like a great stream
They split up the German front as trifle
United by the burning current of hate

But fighting all day soldiers start losing the strength
- Where are reinforcements, why don't they come?!
And one by one Latvian sons fall
And their regiments bled in snow, storm and frost
There in the Tirelis swamp...

And when the Christmas night comes again
And hungry wolves howl in the swamp
The ground shakes under the heavy steps of soldiers-
They have risen again, for a new fight they call

There in the Tirelis swamp
Where frost and death rules
Where horror, suffering without an end
In snow, storm and frost