Ewan McColl recorded a version of the song in 1956, which appears on the Topic LP Bundook Ballads.

According to the liner notes [ written by McColl ]
"The melody of the Red River Valley has been popular with British troops for the last twenty years and many songs have been written to it. Most of them are very sentimental and, like The Dying Soldier, follow the general pattern of The Unfortunate Rake. This version is from the singing of Mike Prendergast of Doncaster. "

THE DYING SOLDIER

Now you've heard of the tale of Benghaza
Where most of the fighting was done
Where many a young British soldier
Was killed by the old Eytie guns       [ note : Eytie : British slang for Italian ]

Now he laid himself up on one elbow
And the blood from his wound it ran red
And turning to comrades around him
These were the last words he said

" Oh bury me deep in the desert
Under the African sun
Oh bury me deep in the desert
My duty for England is done "

So they buried him deep in the desert
With Allah to watch o'er his grave
They buried him deep in the desert
His young life for England he gave

Now when you get back to old Blighty    [ Blighty = England / Britain ]
And the war it is over and won
Remember that young British soldier
Buried under the African sun.

Sung as a haunting lament, with beautiful harmonica acompaniment by John Cole