Gentlemen....

Please bear in mind that the main reason that there is little or no documented record of "The Gay Fusilier" is the same reason that there is little record of the origin of hundreds of other traditional folk tunes. They were passed on audibly through being sung in family homes, mills, factories, fields, taverns, barrack rooms, at sea, etc and were not written down since most of those who sang them were illiterate. Within the realms of (audio) recorded English folk music, you'll find many examples of totally different lyrics sung to identical tunes, since a tune will stick in someones' head once they've heard a few verses, whilst lyrics do not.

Getting back to "Waltzing Matilda"... the rather regular timing and rhythm of the tune hints at a possible "fife and drum" arrangement which of course might suggest military origins. Banjo Patterson obviously wrote the lyrics as we know them today, but my opinion (and it is only an opinion) is that the tune most likely found its way to Australia via transported English convicts, which of course would push the date back to the late 18th - early 19th century. This ties in with the Peninsular Wars (c.1780-1815)which is where "The Gay Fusilier" comes in. Just a thought..... ;-)