Lyr Req: Regimental Songs

Subject: Regimental Songs
From: GUEST,ozmacca
Date: 23 May 02 - 07:17 PM

Anybody who has followed the thread "What Regiment" will see that we've mentioned a few songs about particular regiments, and about particular battles.. Anybody got any out there that we folkie pedants can use?

Those mentioned include:

The Lancashire Fusilier

Twa Recruiting Sergeants (which mentions the Black Watch)

A Gordon for Me

You get the picture?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: GUEST,ozmacca
Date: 23 May 02 - 07:18 PM

PS - I'm not a guest, honest... I use two computers and this one ain't listed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: GUEST,Keith A o Hertford
Date: 24 May 02 - 03:37 AM

In the DT somewhere is The Warwickshire RHA, Stolen for use as Dublin in the Green.
Then there's The Gay Fusileer that I always sing as Bold. McCaffery who served with the "47th" . Still thinking, Keith.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GLORIOUS GLOUCESTERS (Johnny Coppin)
From: Teribus
Date: 24 May 02 - 04:22 AM

There's one I heard about ten years ago by Johnny Coppin entitled "THE GLORIOUS GLOUCESTERS". The song outlines the history of the regiment from it's raising in 1694 to it's amalgamation in 1991.

Intro:
Neither Kings, nor Queens or Royal Marines
But 28th Old Bragges
Brass before and brass behind
Never feared a foe of any kind
Shoulder arms

When in 1694 John Gibson beat the drum
Who would have thought there were so many honours to be won
In fighting hard for England we defend the colours well
In fighting far from Gloucestershire we've many tales to tell
First blood was shed at Ramilles when Marlborough took his chance
And the 61st at Quadeloupe beat the pride of France
We scaled the Heights of Abraham, like climbing Crikley Hill
Though memories of Wolfe may fade, Old Bragge's are marching still

Chorus:
We are the Glorious Gloucesters, famed for our attack
In Korea and Alexandria fighting back to back
When we have served our country and answered the trumpet's call
Send us back to Gloucestershire most glorious land of all

The war against Napoleon it really made our name
Though we had our jackets dusted well on Salamanca's plain
In fighting under Wellington the reds against the blues
Still they call the men who fell the flowers of Toulouse
We came out of our western hills to match Napoleons power
Was it Waterloo or Egypt said to be our finest hour
French cavalry drove in on us just like the Severn Bore
We just fought them fore and aft, those Frenchies were no more

Chorus:

With the primrose colours and the back badge worn with pride
Twenty-four battalions to the First World War did ride
Three times we stood at Ypers, not once did we give way
In standing firm like Gloucester Tower we kept the Hun at bay
Private Miles and Captain James both showed great bravery
While Bristol's own and forest boys earned their place in history
But in memory of soldiers never holding higher shields
Eight thousand Gloucester poppies still grow in those Flanders fields

Chorus:

By May of 1940 we were back at Waterloo
Against a threat in Europe we still had work to do
Lettringham(Sp?) and Cassel Hill we held them at all cost
But sliding back to Dunkirk it seemed that all was lost
Meanwhile the first and tenth were sent to drive the Japs away
They were fighting fit at Lepadan(phonetic) on the road to Mandalay
Finally at D-Day we were there right from the start
Along the road to victory we "Slashers" played our part

Chorus:

Five years of peace then we were sent this time out to Korea
In serving under Colonel Carne our task became so clear
Against the might of China we showed courage of the best
But the Battle of the Ingum (sp?) River proved our greatest test
With the situation desperate we withdrew to Gloucester Hill
And holding on against all odds our chances they were nil
No one but the Gloucesters could have done it we believe
And in honour now we all wear that citation on our sleeve

Chorus:

In Cyprus and the Middle-East we continued our success
In Germany and Bosnia Old Bragge's they still impress
We who wear the back badge will always march in time
And remember folks in Gloucestershire the friends we've left behind
Yes we'll remember Egypt where ever we may may roam
From Bristol down to Tewkesbury, from Coleford out to Stowe
Upholding the traditions no matter where we go
We'll keep the colours flying and salute the hills of Mal

The North Gloucesters were the 28th Regiment of Foot
The South Gloucesters were the 61st Regiment of Foot

References to the back badge and brass before and brass behind comes from the Battle of Alexandria on 21st March 1801, where General Abercrombie defeated Napoleon. Caught in line formation the 28th were attacked by French Cavalry, the normal tactic would have been to form square, instead of doing this the Gloucesters formed up in a line of four ranks ordered the two rearmost ranks to about turn - and they fought fore-and-aft. They beat off the attack and were awarded the distinction of wearing two cap badges, their regimental badge at the front and a badge with a Sphinx at the back.

Severn Bore is a tidal surge that sweeps up the river Severn from the Bristol Channel.

Private Miles and Captain James were two of three VC's won by members of the regiment during WW I.

Lettringham and Cassel Hill were actions fought to cover the retreat of the BEF to Dunkirk. The Gloucesters formed part of the rear guard of the army on the north east sector. Two company's at the two locations mentioned held a German Division off for almost 48hrs, at which time with no more ammunition they retreated to the perimeter at Dunkirk.

The action in Korea was an attack by the Chinese third army, UN troops were being assembled for an attack when the Chinese struck the Gloucesters position on the Ingum River. Ordered to hold out to buy time for the UN troops to organise some form of defensive position, the Gloucesters did just that. With appaling casualties only a handful managed to disengage and reach UN lines, all what remained of the regiment were dead or captured. Their Commanding Officer Colonel Carne was tortured by the North Koreans/Chinese, but survived his term of captivity at the cost of his sight. He returned to the UK and was awarded a VC for his conduct of the holding action.

Defence spending cuts forced the amalgamation of the regiment in 1991 - it was a pity that they could not have been allowed a further three years to reach the tri-centennial of their formation.

Cheers,

Bill.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Mr Happy
Date: 24 May 02 - 04:31 AM

a while back, i was looking in the dt & elsewhere for the words of 'to be a farmers boy'

one of the sites had it down as being a regimental sog but i forget which

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Teribus
Date: 24 May 02 - 04:43 AM

Re my post above - The action in Korea is correctly spelt as Injim river.

The citation referred to was a Presidential Citation awarded to the Regiment by President Trueman and the Gloucesters wear a badge denoting that on the sleeve of their uniforms. A similar citation was awarded to a Canadian Regiment Princess Patricia's, who were likewise engaged in the same chinese offensive some seven miles from the Gloucesters position.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: GUEST,Keith again
Date: 24 May 02 - 04:56 AM

I think that was the Imjin River Bill. And before anyone points out my mistake, I meant the 42nd not 47th.
Jez Lowe did a song about Beamonts Light Horse but I don't know if it was authentic. Then we have the unspecified Bonny Light Horseman. There are unspecified dragoons in Martinmas Time. Someone just refreshed the "Soldier" thread which is a song about a Parachute Regiment soldier. The Recruited Collier must have joined a line regt. since he hoped to be made a grenadier, and we are told he wore a cockade. Route of the Blues was mentioned in the other thread. A song I like to sing is Kippling's Soldier Soldier which does not give a regt, but "I seen him serve the queen in a suit of rifle green" narrows it down.
Not a regt. but there is 51st highland Division's Farewell to Sicily.
I won't mention McAlpine's Fusileers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: GUEST,Keith
Date: 24 May 02 - 04:59 AM

Sorry Bill, you corrected before I incorrectly corrected. Good song. Would I know the tune?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: GUEST,micca at work
Date: 24 May 02 - 05:26 AM

And ,Of course the Royal Armoured Corps(circa WW2) (unofficial)regimental song, was a wonderfully obscene version of " Lily the Pink" to which I would be delighted to acquire a set of lyrics if anyone has them, i only heard them when extremely drunk ( both me and the singer, who was an ex-Tankie)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: ozmacca
Date: 24 May 02 - 05:54 AM

Great stuff Teribus, and thanks. A bit modern for most old folkie's tastes I suppose, as it deals with the whole history right up to the last, but very very interesting.

Keith, your mention of the Warwickshire RHA intrigues me. RHA is usually the abbreviation of Royal Horse Artillery. Was this a local "county" unit? of the Royal Artillery, a militia unit, or what.

"A suit of rifle green" certainly narrows a regiment down. If the song was early 19th century it would have to be the 95th, but as green became common for more rifle regiments as they were raised, the scope widens. By Kipling's time, it could have been one of half a dozen or so.... not including Indian or Ghurka units who may have worn the colour.

Other regiment songs already mentioned elsewhere were

Inniskillen Dragoons / Clare's Dragoons (although I think they were an Irish unit in French service and maybe not a regular regiment - anybody know?)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: The Walrus
Date: 24 May 02 - 06:01 AM

Keith,

"...And before anyone points out my mistake, I meant the 42nd not 47th...." If you were referrting to "McCafferty", then you were right first time (the 42nd were never depoted at Fullwood, the 47th were).

Regimental songs: "The Jolly DieHards" (Middlesex Regiment - ex 57th Foot)
"Sahgun" (15th Hussars)
how about "The Camel Corps" (Royal Marines Camel Corps Contingent -Sudan 1888 -IIRC)
"Hot Stuff" (37th Foot)
"Souters o' Selkirk" "Savourneen deelish" (88th Foot - later Connaught Rangers) this was a song popular with, rather than directly related to the 88th
"Connaught Rangers" (stangely enough, the Connaught Rangers)
"Fighting with the 7th Royal Fusiliers" (Royal Fusiliers ex- 7th Foot)
"Bravo Dublin Fusiliers" (Royal Dublin Fusiliers)
"Barrosa" (87th Foot - Later Royal Irish Fusiliers) "The Rifleman's Song" (60th/95th Foot)

I have words for a number of the above in anyone wants them, but I can't do the tunes.

Somebody else's turn....

Walrus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Teribus
Date: 24 May 02 - 07:40 AM

Hi Guest Keith, The lyrics and tune were composed by Johnny Coppin. I only have it on tape (at least I think I still have it) I am over in the UK this week-end and will try to get it copied on a CD for you.

Cheers,

Bill.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Teribus
Date: 24 May 02 - 08:20 AM

Great stuff Walrus,

Maybe just a typo but I've looked up "Hot Stuff" (by Edward Botwood) in the Digitrad and found the following note tacked onto the end of the song:

"Botwood was a sergeant of Lascelle's regiment, the 47th. He wrote this song on the eve of the expedition to Quebec; and was killed in the first attack on the French camp."
Source: Parkman's Montcalm and Wolfe (1884), ii. 234 (Macmillan).

Air, 'Lilies of France.' TD"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Ditchdweller
Date: 24 May 02 - 03:00 PM

With my screen name I'd better suggest "Hurrah for the CRE".

Must look up the words sometime!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: The Walrus
Date: 24 May 02 - 03:16 PM

Teribus,

Mea culpa, You are correct
"...When the forty-seventh Regiment is dashing ashore..."
I really must remember to read things properly once in a while.

Walrus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 24 May 02 - 10:06 PM

Nice one Teribus! Thats new to me, though I've heard the Colonel Bragg thing before.

Keith, We've had a discussion on McCaffery/McCaffrey/Macassery before (cant remember which of those 3 spellings it was under, & I'm naff at doing 'blickies' anyway) but somebody found online (or actually typed out) a long piece that I have in a book, & which identified the Regiment as the 32nd Foot, The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry... who had been Stationed at Fulwood....though the 47th (The Lancashire Regiment, yes?) would seem to make considerable sense too.

OzMacca, the Inniskillings or Enniskillens (as they have been called at some points in their history, I believe) were most certainly a British Army Regiment, though recruited in Ireland (there is a castle (& now a town) in Ireland named Inniskilling)

Well..the only song I can think of to mention is a version of the Scarlet & the Blue/Khaki & the Blue... I dont know who collected it, but the Watersons, no less, title it 'The Tatton-Sykes Waggoners Militia Recruiting Song'

There..I get around to song eventually.....*G*

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 25 May 02 - 10:56 AM

What about 'Dollia', mentioning the Black Cuffs and the Green Cuffs, "two regiments stationed in Newcastle in the early 1790s"? Sung by Louis Killen on 'Along the Coaly Tyne'.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: ard mhacha
Date: 25 May 02 - 02:42 PM

A few notes on McCafferty, Patrick McCaffrey [the name appears in a variety of spellings] was born in Mullingar Co Westmeath Ireland, McCaffrey moved to Mossley in Lancashire and worked for a time in the Cotton Mills before enlisting in October 1860 into the 32nd Regiment, this was the Cornish Light Infantry.

On Friday 13th of September, McCaffrey was acting as Picket-sentry near the Officers Quarters. The adjutant Captain Hanham, came out to complain to McCaffrey about the noise of some children playing, and asked him to remove them and to find their parents name. Hanham felt that McCaffrey complied with his orders in a half-hearted way and sent him to the guardroom. McCaffrey appeared before his C.O,. Colonel Crofton the following morning, and was sentenced to fourteen days Confined to Barracks. McCaffrey having gone to his Barrack room took up his Rifle and as Colonel Crofton and Captain Hanham were crossing the Barrack Square shot Hanham and the same bullet also killed Colonel Crofton.

McCaffrey was sentenced to death by hanging at Liverpool Assizes in December, and the sentence was carried out on Saturday 11 January in front of Kirkdale Gaol, in Liverpool.

The song was a particular favourite of many old World War One veterans and also was widely sung during the folk revival in the late 60s. Ard Mhacha

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 25 May 02 - 06:27 PM

Susanne (skw) hoping you dont mind but I'll put up the addy of the 'MaCaffrey' thing you posted last Year

http://mysongbook.de/msb/songs/m/mccaffer.html

(sorry, no blicky)

(are youn involved with that site in some way? Are you the Susanne doing the annotated notes?)

...& Keith, sorry, I should have acknowledged that 'The Warwickshire RHA/Dublin in The Green/Scarlet(& Khaki) & the Blue/Tatton-Sykes one are all the same song essentially. Dunno if I confused anyone by not doing so.

(& as youre probably too modest to post it, I urge people to look at THIS thread -

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=38432

- for a song of Keiths, where the discussion re MaCaffrey was)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 26 May 02 - 10:00 AM

Mr Happy - the song is 'To be a Farmer's boy' and the regiment was the Dorset Regiment (formerly the 39th and 52nd Regts of Foot around 1779, now the Devon and Dorsets formed around 1953).

The 39th were the first regiment to enter India, giving them the motto 'Primus in Indus' and were involved in the Penninsular war, the Boer war (where it gained a VC), both world wars (as the 1st Battn, Dorset(shire), also some of the first explorations of Australia, Africa and America.

The 52nd became the 2nd Battn, Dorset(shire) Regt. and were heavily involved in the Mesopotamia campaigns and the middle East. One of their worst hours was when a great many of the battn were captured and marched for several days without respite or refreshment, across the desert to Kut el Amara, where they were imprisoned. Their finest has to be the Tennis Court at Kohima.

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: ard mhacha
Date: 26 May 02 - 03:36 PM

Paul from Hull, Enniskillen [Cathleens Isle] was a placename in County Fermanagh a long time before the British Army were around. Ard Mhacha.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 26 May 02 - 07:12 PM

Paul, thanks for putting in the addy. I'll do the blickie for you: McCafferty
And yes, that Susanne is me. I've been collecting that stuff for 30 or so years. (Next time I'm in Hull I'll stop and say hello. I passed through about three weeks ago - there was no time for stopping, unfortunately.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: GUEST,ozmacca
Date: 26 May 02 - 10:05 PM

Thanks everbody, there's some fascinating stuff out there all right. Now all we've got to do is get the words..... Walrus? Everybody?

Paul, thanks for the note about the 'skins. I know the Inniskilling Dragoons were regular British Cavalry (the 4th Dragoons if I remember aright)who fought with distinction in the peninsulau and Crimea etc, but it was really Clare's Dragoons I was wondering about. I think they were a regiment of Irish emigrants who were in French service.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE CAMEL CORPS
From: The Walrus at work
Date: 27 May 02 - 09:02 AM

Ozmacca,

If you want the words, I'll try to sort something out when I get home. In the mean time, just to jeep this thread alive:

THE CAMEL CORPS (Royal Marines Camel Detatchment Sudan) (TUNE:- Auld Lang Syne)

When I was first recruited, boys,
To serve out Gracious Queen,
The Sergeant made me for to know
That I was a Royal Marine.
He said sometimes they serve on ships
And sometime serve ashore
But he never said that I'd wear spurs
And serve in the Camel Corps

I've ridden a horse,
I've ridden a moke,
I've ridden a railway train,
I've ridden a ship, I've ridden a boat
And I hope to do so again,
But now I ride an animal Marines ne'er rode before
Dressed up in spurs and pataloons
To serve in the Camel Corps

Any use?

Regards

Walrus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 27 May 02 - 10:53 AM

A book which might come in handy for this thread:
Fraser, Edward It contains a large list of NICKNAMES, SOBRIQUETS and TITLES of REGIMENTS (pp. 170 - 209).

British Library:
Shelfmark: 12980.bb.40.
Shelfmark: W59/8599
Also in the Univ. Libraries of Cambridge, Oxford, Glasgow, Leeds, UCL, Liverpool

Library of Congress: Server seems tbe down today, no information available.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 27 May 02 - 10:59 AM

I don't know why the machine fights a lot of my inputs. Next try: Fraser, Edward: Soldier and sailor words and phrases : including slang of the trenches and the Air Force ; ... / comp. by Edward Fraser and John Gibbons. - London : George Routledge & Sons, 1925
It contains a large list of NICKNAMES, SOBRIQUETS and TITLES of REGIMENTS (pp. 170 - 209)

Holding Libraries see my previous post.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 27 May 02 - 11:12 AM

Next item:
A new ed. was publ. Detroit : Gale Research Co., 1968
For mudcatters in Germany: Holding univ. libraries:
Bayern: Augsburg, Bamberg, München, Passau, Regensburg
Thüringen: Jena
Sachsen: Dresden
Saarland: Saarbrücken
Baden-Württemberg: Freiburg, Tübingen, Konstanz
Rheinland-Pfalz: Speyer
Nordrhein-Westfalen: Server down
Hessen: Kassel, Giessen (English Department)

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 27 May 02 - 11:41 AM

Ahhh..so many mistakes & misconceptions by me....*G* Well....it all goes to show I shouldnt post late at night while I'm half asleep

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 27 May 02 - 11:51 AM

Perhaps one of our Scottish bretheren could fill us in with the words for the song that starts

Wa' saw the forty second
Wa' saw 'em gan awa'
Wa' saw the forty second
Sailing doon the Broomilaw...

Apologies for the bad accent...;-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Snuffy
Date: 27 May 02 - 06:49 PM

WHA SAW THE COTTON SPINNERS and WHA SAW THE 42ND are in the DT.

The spinners sailed and the 42nd marched down the Broomielaw.

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: GUEST,ozmacca
Date: 27 May 02 - 07:16 PM

Walrus - I love it! All those jokes about ships of the desert and Horse Marines etc etc.....

PS Did you know there was actually also Marine Horse Artillery? German forces circa late 1800's I think. I believe they served during the Boxer Rising among other places.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE JOLLY DIE-HARDS
From: The Walrus
Date: 27 May 02 - 07:55 PM

Another Regimental Song: THE JOLLY DIE-HARDS

The tune to this appears to have been lost (although, as Winstock[1] points out it does fit to "The Bold King's Hussar" )- it fits - just about - to "Paddy's Resource" which was written by the bandmaster of the 77th Foot, which became 2nd Bn Middlesex Regt.

At the battle of Albuhera in Spain, Colonel Ingless lay severely wounded in the square of the 57th as it received yet another charge. His last words before he passed out were "Die Hard 57th, Die Hard!", This passed into Regimental legend and became the Regimental nickame (lived up to on more than one occasion).

THE JOLLY DIE-HARDS

When the bugle for battle so merrily sounds,
In the ranks of the Die-Hards each heart then rebounds,
As fearless of danger, right onward we go,
When up go our colours and down go the foe,
Be they Russians or Prussians or Spanish or French,
At scaling a rampart or guarding a trench,
Neither bullet nor bayonet our progress retards,
For it's just all the same to the gallant Die-Hards.
For Highlanders, Riflemen, Lancers and Guards,
Are not like the boys called the jolly Die-Hards.

Our regiment has conquered, but never in vain,
Bear witness those hills and the mountains through Spain,
Bear witness the shades of those hundreds who fell
At red Albuhera, and our victory can tell
How Soult and his Frenchmen were beaten and sank,
As we fell on them fiercely, rank after rank,
Invincible seemed those brave children of Mars,
When Lord Beresford styled us the "Gallant Die-Hards".
For highlanders, etc.

I wish you had seen them at famed Inkerman,
Or heard their wild shouts at the gory Redan,
'Midst lightning and thunder their spirits ne'er quailed,
'Midst bloodshed and carnage their hearts never failed;
Why wait for the loss of brave Goldie our chief,
Why weep for brave Shadworth, away with that grief,
They died like true heroes as history records
While leading to glory the gallant Die-Hards.
For Highlanders, etc.

When black-hearted savage with treacherous guile,
Slew our comrades in arms, did they reckon the while
That our steel was as sharp and our arm was as strong,
As the days when we hurled the wild Cossack along?
The Die-Hards advance - how fiercely they cheer
The Pahs - they are taken, without dread or fear,
And the Maoris are vanquished and got their reward,
And our chief, like his men was a gallant Die-Hard.
For Highlanders, etc.

What harm if we suffer from hardship at times,
What harm if e're bronzed by those hot eastern climes,
Such trifles as these our spirits can't damp
For we're jovial in battle and more so in camp,
Watch the girls, how they smile when we march through a town,
When they hear we're the Die-Hards of far famed renown,
So fill up your glasses and show your regard
By drinking the health of each jolly Die-Hard.
For Highlanders, etc.

Enjoy.

Walrus

[1] Lewis Winstock - Songs and Music of the Redcoats

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 28 May 02 - 04:07 AM

Unless I've missed it, no-one's mentioned "The British Grenadiers"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: The Walrus at work
Date: 28 May 02 - 08:52 AM

Nigel,

Which Regiment though? Until (I think) the 1870s, every regiment had a grenadier company, so they could all claim "British Grenadiers" and "Grenadiers' March".

Walrus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 28 May 02 - 09:48 AM

ozmacca - The German Marine Corps had 3 Batallions, called I. - III. Seebataillon = Sea Batallion.
III. Seebataillon was stationed in Kiautschou, with 2 depot companies and 1 depot battery in Cuxhaven.
The bataillon in Tsingtau (Kiautschou) consisted of:
4 foot companies
1 mounted company
1 Navy Field Battery (Marinefeldbatterie)
1 Navy Engineer Company (Marinepioniercompagnie)
There also was a heavy artillery detachment called Matrosenartillerie = sailors artillery, about 200 men.
To understand those German names you must know that:
engl. Navy = germ. Marine
engl. Marine = germ. Seebataillone (pl.), the single soldier: Seesoldat (sea soldier).
All branches manned by real Navy (not Marine) personnel are distinguished by Matrosen- (sailors), e.g. the Matrosenartillerie as above or Matroseninfanterie, sailors fighting as infantry, but they must not be mistaken for Marines.
The German Feldartillerie was always mounted, the Fußartillerie (Foot Artillery) was the heavy artillery.
Yeah, that was the military logic of the Imperial Navy.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: HuwG
Date: 28 May 02 - 02:21 PM

In the Britsh Army, some regiments still have regional associations and titles. The Royal Anglian Regiment (usually referred to as the Royal Angle-Irons), have "THE LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER" as their regimental quick march. Details in this blue clicky thing

The now-defunct Yorkshire Volunteers sang "On Ilkla' Moor bah't 'at".

Not regional, but the Royal Tank Regiment's march is "Little Willie", which commemorates the name of the first prototype tank.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 28 May 02 - 02:50 PM

I believe 'The British Grenadiers' does refer to the Grenadier Companies of the Regiments, because it's said that the song pre-dates Waterloo. (which might be obvious anyway, if there are dates that prove the songs existence prior to that?)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Mr Red
Date: 28 May 02 - 04:32 PM

ch there were the Light Guards & Cavalry, Mallitia men & volunteers,
Queens Bays, Scots Greys, some of our Infantry.
the Royal Marines, the Engineers, the Coldstream Guards, the Fuselliers,
the Hundred & Ninth Malitia and the Royal Artiliary

see my site for the full text look for "Old England She Needs Soldiers"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: GUEST,ozmacca
Date: 28 May 02 - 09:25 PM

Wilfried, I take my hat off to the organising genius who came up with that lot! Interesting co-incidence - while "matrosen" were German sailors, a "matross" was a british artillery rank in the 1600 - 1700s

Just found another regimental song. "The Lichtbob's Lassie" is a Scottish song about a girl who intends to dye her petticoats red and face them with yellow, to match her lover's uniform. The text (as I have it anyway) is in a north-east Scotland dialect - Aberdeenshire) Could these be the 26th Cameronian's? Specialist help required...... Walrus?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 28 May 02 - 10:35 PM

The 72nd Light Infantry in BC generated an anti-song, made by coalminers in Nanaimo to take the piss out of the poor stoops who were coming to defend the rights of capital: "Bowser's Seventy-Twa". Bowser was the Attorney-General at the time (1913-14). I don't remember if I posted it to DT.

"The Glen Whorple Highlanders", the regimental song of the Seaforth Highlanders: first verse as follows:

"There's a braw fine regiment as ilka man should ken/They're devils at the fechtin', they hae cloured a sicht o' men/And hae supped muckle whisky when the canteen they were ben/The hielandmen frae braw Glenwhorple."

Chorus: "Heuch Glenwhorple Hielandmen/Great strong whisky-drinkin' Hielandmen/Slainte wor Glenwhorple."

Seven verses in all. Which I'll post if people want it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 29 May 02 - 12:18 AM

Thinking about the "British Grenadiers". I'd reckon it's pretty well definite that it refers to the "new" arm of service when grenades came into use around the mid 1600's or so, and companies were formed in line regiments. Don't the verses talk about "leaders march with fusees / and we with hand grenades"? By the time the Grenadier guards were a separate unit, the actual use of the primitive grenade had pretty well ended - around the 1750's (?), but the name was retained for those sections acting as stormtrooper squads or light companies for the regular infantry. The grenade didn't make a real re-appearance until the 1914-18 war

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: GUEST,Keith A at work
Date: 29 May 02 - 03:20 AM

All the usual suspects will know this , but it is worth saying that a lichtbob (light bob) was a light horseman.
Keith (not as light as I was)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: ozmacca
Date: 29 May 02 - 05:42 AM

Keith, I'm not sure if a light (or any other weight) horse trooper would fit the bill here, would it? Given that the song is Scottish, and apparently around Napoleonic time or later, the object of maidenly desire is more likely to be an infantryman, seeing that the only regiment of scottish horse were the Greys with no yellow facings. Not definite by any means, but likely, no? And I have a vague remembrance that the Lichtbob was a recognised nickname for one regiment... Can't remember and can't trace it... Must be chewing too many aluminium mess tins.

By the way, is anybody keeping a listing of all these songs, and would it be worth setting up some sort of data base sub-sect.... I'm an amateur at all this techy stuff, so this is a cry for organisational HELP!!!

Is there anybody out there?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Teribus
Date: 29 May 02 - 07:53 AM

Couldn't see anything in the song that puts a date or period to it. Although definitely written in the dialect of the N-E of Scotland, there is no reason to automatically qualify that the regiment she refers to has to be Scottish (Example: "There once was a troop of Irish Dragoons cam marchin' doon through Fyvie-O" - N-E Scotland identified as the area, non-scottish cavalry regiment).

If the song pre-dates French Revolutionary/Napoleonic times by about fifty years, an alternative Scottish cavalry regiment to the Scots Greys did exist - 17th Light Dragoons (raised 1759 - disbanded 1763).

In an earlier link on this thread there is a site that lists songs of the Napoleonic era. One of the songs mentioned was "The Female Drummer" - no doubt it was sung by soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars - one version actually mentions "the seige of Valenciennes" (1795), but the song is older than that! Earliest I have been able to trace is around very early 1700's and the reign of Queen Anne

"When I was a young girl, age of sixteen
I from me parents ran away and went to serve the Queen"

The same might be true of "The Lichtbob's Lass".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: GUEST,Keith A o hertford at work
Date: 29 May 02 - 08:55 AM

Thanks Bill, anyone else have an opinion?

The story of Pte Hovenden of the 58th can be found by typing hovenden and 1year into the filter, along with an attempt by me to commemorate him in song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 29 May 02 - 09:12 AM

ozmacca - I didn't find the nickname licht bob, only the English version
Light Bobs, The: The Somerset Light Infantry. (Fraser/Gibbons - my post of May 27 - pg. 190

Looking it up I also had a glimpse at the Greys:
Greys, The: The Scots Greys. The regiment, when first raised in Scotland in 1781 [scil. 1681, W.S.] as the "Royal Regiment of Scots Dragoons", was uniformed in stone-gray coats, there being, an official document states, not enough red cloth procurable in Scotland for all the men. The mounting of the regiment on grey horses dates from about 1700. The sobriquet "Greys" was well established before 1750, as contemporary letters and documents show. pg. 186.
The Lincolnshire Regiment got their nickname "Poachers" in allusion to their regimental march "The Lincolnshire Poacher" (forgot to note the page, somewhere between 190 and 209).

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 30 May 02 - 07:24 AM

I don't see any mention of "Tim the Dragoon", words by "Q" (A T Quiller Couch) and music by C Villiers Stanford. Don't see it in the DT either, I'll probably post it here shortly!

Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 30 May 02 - 08:32 AM

Lyrics now added in separate thread Tim, The Dragoon Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Regimental Songs
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 30 May 02 - 10:20 AM

The Sussex regiment's march was of course "Sussex by the Sea".

SAPPER - my dad (who was an RSM in the RE) always used to sing part of "Oggie Land" with "Hurrah for the CRE".

Subject: Lyr Add: SAVOUNEEN DEELISH
From: The Walrus
Date: 01 Jun 02 - 03:43 AM

To revive this thread.

This song is not strictly a "Regimental" song in the terms of naming and praising a regiment, but, in its day (the Napoleonic period) it was very popular with the 88th Foot (later the Connaught Rangers - aka "The Devil's Own")

SAVOUNEEN DEELISH (dearest darling?)

Oh the moment was sad, when my love and I parted,
Savourneen deelish, Eileen oge!
As I kissed off her tears I was near broken hearted
Savourneen deelish, Eileen oge!
Wan was her cheek, which hung on my shoulder,
Damp was her hand, no marble was colder
I felt that I never again should behold her.
Savourneen deelish, Eileen oge!

When the word of command put our men into motion
Savourneen deelish, Eileen oge!
I buckled my knapsack to cross the wide ocean,
Savourneen deelish, Eileen oge!
Brisk were our troops, all roaring like thunder,
Pleased with the voyage, impatient for plunder.
My bosom with grief was almost torn asunder
Savourneen deelish, Eileen oge!

Long I fought for my country, far, far from my true love
Savourneen deelish, Eileen oge!
All my pay and my booty I hoarded for you, love.
Savourneen deelish, Eileen oge!
Peace was proclaimed, escaped from the slaughter,
Landed at home, my sweet girl I sought her,
But sorrow, alas, to her cold grave had brought her,
Savourneen deelish, Eileen oge!


I hope this has a place on this list.

Walrus