Alex: There is no question but that your find is important and much appreciated. It's clearly period and shows what at least one participant likely sang. It's not dated that I read and, you know, he might even have taken it from Hamish.

You do disparage Hamish but I don't hink intentionally or meanly. Keep in mind that Hamish was also a participant there and heard different fragments and versions of it. He was not merely a Revivalist singer or after-the-fact scholar.

When first published (Ballads of World War II) Hamish was still maximally "egalitarian" and took no credit for any of the songs in the booklet. Unfortunately. Some he wrote, some collected.

But one thing. It is literally impossible that he would have later claimed credit he didn't deserve. That he did not do.

As with any genuine folksong, there is no "authoritative" version. Even Hamish changed the words slightly from time to time. And so he should. Likely you've done that yourself for your own songs.