FOFC lyric sleuths: What is this song about? (Queen's "'39")

[Kodos]

For years, I've loved this song while being puzzled about it's meaning. A quick web search today unearthed the meaning (and some things about Brian May that I didn't realize). I challenge FOFC to decipher it without using search engines to cheat.

Lyrics:

In the year of '39 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 hear my call though you're many years away
Don't you hear me calling you
Write your letters in the sand
For the day I take your hand
In the land that our grandchildren knew.

In the year of '39 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 darling we'll away
But my love this cannot be
For so many years have gone though I'm older but a year
Your mother's eyes from your eyes cry to me.

Don't you hear my call though you're many years away
Don't you hear me calling you
Write your letters in the sand
For the day I take your hand
In the land that our grandchildren knew.

Don't you hear my call though you're many 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

[cuervo72]

Holocaust-related? Or Palestine? Not sure what is old land and new land (perhaps a force went to Palestine and came back to a bombed Britain?)

[Butter]

I would've guessed something to do with WWII based on the year, but looking it up, I would be wrong.

[Kodos]

I initially thought it was about the Pilgrims discovering the Americas. I was wrong.

[AnalBumCover]

Turned out I was half right... about where "the ship sailed out into the blue and sunny morn"

But was confused about the rest of the song (one line, in particular). Until I google'd it and said, "Oooooh, well that makes sense."

[Julio Riddols]

It is actually about the 39 draft setting on FOF. The "land his grandchildren knew". He is obviously talking about the future here, because they didn't even have pcs when the song was written, much less something that could handle the complex math of FOF. By the time the 39 draft setting came to be, it was about 40 years after the song was written, so its a real feat of prognostication. He now sees the world of unpredictable drafts he dreamed of in his grandchildren's eyes, and those eyes remind him of his wife.

Brian May traveled through time for this. He left behind so much, sacrificed everything he knew back then.. All for some good old fashioned American Football Simulation.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by AnalBumCover

Turned out I was half right... about where "the ship sailed out into the blue and sunny morn"

But was confused about the rest of the song (one line, in particular). Until I google'd it and said, "Oooooh, well that makes sense."

The aging references were always a source of confusion. "For so many years have gone though I'm older but a year"

Spoiler

Yeah, the second part is hard to guess. Unless you know that Brian May has an advanced degree in Physics.

[Comey]

Adding in another avenue of discussion:

Queen - '39 Lyrics | SongMeanings