MacColl's jacket note from "British Army Songs" (1965), the American issue of "Bundook Ballads" (1965):

"This ballad is probably the oldest of British barrack-room favorites. It exists in many variants and is a standard song among 'old sweats' (regular soldiers). Veterans of World War I claim that the song originated in the first expeditionary force in France, but, of course, it is very much older, tracing back to the 18th century street ballad, The Unfortunate Rake. I recently heard a ninety year old actor, Norman Partridge, sing a version which he said was current among troops in the Boer War, and which varied hardly at all from the version sung on this album, which was learned from Harry Cox, traditional singer from Dorset."

Do we know if Cox had the word "trooper"? If not, then presumably Partridge did.