G'day Abby,

From what do you quote? I have read many of the books arguing about the origins of Waltzing Matilda and none of the porimary texts that I have read has made anywhere as bald a statement as that. Without checking the Meredith reference, I am fairly sure that referred to the general existance of some military ancestor to Waltzing Matilda and this is a definite possibilty, since the usage of Matilda has a whole family of meanings around bedrolls, campaign substitutes, tool rolls &c - particularly in the German tradition.

The possibility that Paterson had reworked some traditional material cannot be discounted (I would love to find the postulated German journeyman's song Auf der Walz mit Mathildhe) but the occasion of Waltzing Matilda's marriage to a version of some of the tune to Craigielea has been well documented in recent years.

I have had a number of discussions with John Meredith about the pre-history of Waltzing Matilda and John has some strong views, but I don't think any of his statements accurately fits your quote.

Regards,

Bob Bolton