The Peter Dawson version linked on UTube by Sean above has the credit "Words & Music by Rudyard Kipling". Surely not right? RK not known as a composer was he? No mention in his wiki entry ~~ or can anybody show different?

Tho I think there is probably much to commend in Peter B's contention that he knew a bit about folksongs [there is a mention of a 'Copper' in one of his Sussex-set stories in Rewards & Fairies]; hence his [Pete's] having set this song to The White Cockade, & others in his Kipling records to other traditional airs ~~ Derwentwater's Farewell for Danny Deever, Amphitryte/Van·Diemans·Land for Henry & the Shipwrights...

~M~