THE BALLAD OF WADI MAKTILLA (Hamish Henderson) (taken from "What a Lovely War" by Roy Palmer - Michael Joseph Ltd London 1990 ISBN 0 7181 3357 9 [If anyone is interested])

Now here is my story, it happened one night,
How the Seventy-Ninth they went into a fight.
They were carried in lorries over bump, rock and cranny -
Mant arses were sore on that road to Barrani

(Chorus)
What the hell's all the fuss?
Oh wouldn't , wouldn't you like to be us?

Then we hoofed it along, lads, to Musso's armed villa -
A stronghold it was, and named Wadi Maktilla.
We tiptoed along as we came near our mark;
Not a sound could be heard, all was silent and dark.

Then suddenly the Eyeties let go all they had;
It's a bloody good job that their aiming was bad.
We got down on the ground and we lay as if dead,
While the shells and the whizzbangs flew over our head.

Many lads prayed to heavens which before they'd forsaken,
And they thought tht they'd eaten the last of tinned bacon;
But the Eyeties felt worse as they lay in their sangars,
And their guns roared in fear, for it wasn't in anger.

There were Lybians against us, they were filthy and black,
But we yelled "Cabar Feidh!" as we pressed the attack.
Then the Wops shouted "Bruno" on whom they were nuts,
But they got for their pains our cold steel in their guts.

Now most of the Camerons, there isn't a doubt,
Got corns on their knees from this crawling about;
But the blokes that lay flay brought us many a grin,
For most of their bellies was all hackit-skin.

When at last we emerged from that unhealthy zone,
We got in the trucks and we headed for home.
You can say what you like, you have plenty of scope,
Do you think we enjoyed it? My Christ ! What a hope

I hope I've got the line breaks right - enjoy

Good Luck.

Walrus