I posted the column by John Perry about the Irish troops because it stopped me and made me gape. I am familiar mostly with writings about the Canadian troops involved in the advance up the boot. I do not know how the Clancys and Makem led into the song at their concerts- Perry's take could be way off the mark, not only historically, as Walrus says, but with regard to the Clancy-Makem presentation, which I haven't heard.

Many units were involved. Each developed its own 'take' on the progress of the advance and the relative value of contributions by other units. Resentment about real or imagined slights and deficiencies grew as the advance- in the minds of many of the soldiers poorly managed- went on. This is reflected in the songs, which, like the verses about Lady Astor, sometimes are based on fiction. An overall historical view of he campaign glosses over these resentments, which, at least among some of the Canadians who were in the advance, still surface. The same types of bitterness, I am sure, exist among the survivors of other units, including the Irish. The views held by some of these veterans may be provincial and unjustified in perspective, but the resentment remains.

Resentment in Canadian troops applied as well to actions by the politicians and men of fighting age who remained at home. When conscription was passed in Canada, conscripts could not be sent overseas unless they volunteered for overseas service. Some 70,000 chose to wait out the war at home. These 'zombies' received mention in the songs as well. The resentment remains.