In the lounge bar of Wonthaggi's Whalebone Hotel br The story of his life to me he told br A gray haired man and one who had worked hard br And hard work even make young man look old. br br He worked up in the Snowy mountain hills br Tunnelling through the hard rock and the earth and clay br And that was more than twenty years ago br And he was over fifty then he say. br br His wife she left him for another man br And that was many, many years ago br She took with her their little boy and girl br And to where they went to live he still doesn't know. br br She left with the children whilst he was at work br And he came home to find that they had gone br For months he bordered on the suicide brink br 'Til he plucked up the strength to battle on. br br He'd love to meet his son and daughter now br And perhaps he has got grandchildren somewhere br He last saw them when they were eight and nine br His boy was blond and his girl had light brown hair. br br He talked about that Country far away br Where he was born in nineteen twenty two br A peaceful land 'til Hitler came to power br Was the prosperous pre war Germany he knew. br br He left his homeland before world war two br Before the world's greatest war began br And he feels happy now that he played no part br In the most shameful event in the history of man. br br An old German man who had never fought in war br But he has suffered as much as anyone br And his one wish now in his twilight years br To meet again his daughter and his son. br br In the lounge bar of Wonthaggi's Whalebone Hotel br His life story he did relate to me br And though he's lived for fifty years in Australia br His accent still belong to Germany.