I to first heard this song on an LP by the Ian Campbell Folk Group, called Contemporary Campbells. This would be around 1965, and in his sleeve notes I'm sure he said it was a song that came from the British Army garrison stationed there during WW2. It is probably a bit like the song "The D Day Dodgers", in as much as it is surrounded by much misinformation and myth. This track I think was also on that album.

Much was made of Lady Astor calling the 8th Army, "The D Day Dodgers", and I think she did refer to them in an exchange of letters as "The D Day Dodgers", but only because that is how they signed their original letter to her.