Lyr Req: Ballad of Wadi Maktilla (British Army,WW2

Subject: Ballad of Wadi Maktilla British Army
From: GUEST,Allan S
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 05:37 PM

Does any one have the words to The Ballad of Wadi Maktilla? It is on a Riverside album "Bless 'em All" Sung by Ewan McColl. Liner notes as follows. "THis describes a somewhat abortive raid by the 2nd. Cammeron Highlanders on an Italian out post about 12 miles east of Sidi " Barrani in 1940. This would have been during the North African Campagin.

Subject: RE: Ballad of Wadi Maktilla British Army
From: Abby Sale
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 08:34 AM

22nd/23rd October 1940: The 2nd Battalion of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders made a wildly abortive raid on the Italian outpost at Wadi Maktilla (about 12 miles East of Sidi Barrani). (This was a different outfit than the Cameronians [Scottish Rifles])

There's a personal account of this action in Charlie Company by Peter Cochrane.

"The Ballad of Wadi Maktilla," Anon.; is first reported in Ballads of World War II, "Collected for the Lili Marleen Club of Glasgow" by Seumas Mor Maceanruig (Hamish Henderson), Glasgow, Caledonian Press, c1952.

The fort was later taken, 9th December 1940 - as part of a wider action under Brigadier Selby.

I'll enter the words tomorrow if you can wait.

Subject: RE: Ballad of Wadi Maktilla British Army
From: GUEST,Allan S.
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 09:28 AM

Yes I would like the words. I've been trying to work them out from the record is very hard. THamks Allan

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BALLAD OF WADI MAKTILLA (British Army
From: The Walrus
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 07:12 PM

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

Subject: RE: Ballad of Wadi Maktilla British Army
From: GUEST,allan S.
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 08:48 PM

THamks everyone I will have to get a copy of that book "What a lovely war". Mud cat is sure the place to get those hard to find ones. All the best Allan

Subject: RE: Ballad of Wadi Maktilla British Army
From: Abby Sale
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 02:37 PM

Walrus - that saves me a bunch of trouble.. :-)

Here's some tiny differences in the original. There's no knowing if Hamish actually wrote it.

1,4: Many arses felt sore on that road to Barrani!

Chorus:
              What the hell
              'S all the fuss?
   O wouldn't you, wouldn't you like to be us?

5,1: There were Lybians against us, both filthy and black,

6,3: lay flat

MacColl uses a Scottish accent and Scotticizes a few words, which is probably appropriate. He omits verse 5. Tune, of course, is "Villikens and his Dinah."