According to Roy Palmer, who published it in What a Lovely War, it was written by one G.E.H. Keesey in 1915. Palmer thinks it was possibly intended for university students, who acted as orderlies at a TA camp. According to him, the tune was taken from The Scottish Students Song Book.

The song was given to Palmer by Malcolm Speake, a singer from Birmingham. I'v no idea where Malcolm got it.