Yes, this song is in the database, and credited to Pete Coe. But is that right?

Before I get started let me remark that some of the words in the database are I think not right. Yes I can post what I think are the right ones some time. Certainly I think he was a gay, not a bold, fusilier. Also he was bound for the wars in the low countries (and of course Engalnd has spent a lot of time at war with the DUtch) But on to the more interesting bits.

Now is this a Pete Coe or other contemporary song, or is it trad? Does anyone know for sure or ahs anyone any strongly persuasive information?

The song is of course well known in ROchester (Kent, UK). The common theory is that it is trad (ish) having been written by one Alex "Banjo" Patterson and take by him to Australiw when he was deported, where the Aussies recognised a good tune when they heard one and promptly turned it into "Waltzing Matilda".

However the tune does not really sound as if it belongs to the period of the vaarious Dutch wars.

Now another thoery is that the song sort of surfaced quite suddenly at the time when Doug Hudson and his the wife Sue wre playing quite a lot under the name "Tundra". (ealry 70's, approx) . They did release an album of self-written but traddish sounding Kent songs, but this is not on it. Doug is now quite the local folk potentate! But Sue was a history student then and they had a penchant for songs about local issues (Jezreel's tower amongst others, and another about the lady of ROchester castle). I don't think the words sound like Sue's style, but my wife does. So maybe, just maybe.....

Another friend of mine (now plays as Andy Martin, but way back then had a band called "Blackthorn" which featured a flatpicking guitarist, since, alas, succumbed to a heart attack who used to be in Suzi Quattro's band) says he was at a party in North London when the song was written by a guitar hero called John Zammett (not sure about this spelling).

Sooooooooooooooooo does anyone know the truth?????

PS sorry about the typing but this has got longer than I thought and I'm not going to risk the system eating it if I try to correct it.