Roy Palmer's book "What a Lovely War" says it was "A song from The Passing Show of 1914, a revue at the London Hippodrome, seized on and parodied by soldiers of the First World War. Their version was heard again in France in 1939, sung by members of the new British Expeditionary Force. Canadian soldiers also sang it".

Presumbably the song parodied was 'On Sunday I walk out with a soldier'.

Anyone hearing the tune would say "Oh, that's 'I don't want to join the army'". I don't think anyone would know it under its original title!

LFF