World War II
A series of limericks was used to great effect in World War II to obtain priority in a dockyard to have new guns fitted to the Dutch sloop Soemba.
The first was:
- A report has come in from the Soemba
- that their salvoes go off like a Rhumba
- two guns, they sound fine
- but the third five point nine
- he am bust and refuse to go boomba.
- by Captain Nicholl (Royal Navy)
The series continued up to a final limerick by the vice-chief of staff of the Royal Dutch navy.
Read more about this topic: Limerick (poetry)
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