Old French Trench, The

DESCRIPTION: "Oh what a life, living in a trench, Under Johnny French in the old French trench, We haven't got a wife or a nice little wench, But we're still alive in the old French trench." Soldiering is hard, and there is no reward, which is unfair
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1965 (Brophy/Partridge-TommiesSongsAndSlang)
KEYWORDS: soldier France
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
1914-1915 - Sir John French commands the British Expeditionary Force in World War I. In 1915, he is replaced by Douglas Haig
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Brophy/Partridge-TommiesSongsAndSlang, p. 55, "The Old French Trench" (1 short text)
Arthur-WhenThisBloodyWarIsOver, p.80, "The Old French Trench" (1 text)
Roud #10549
NOTES [84 words]: The Brophy/Partridge-TommiesSongsAndSlang and Arthur-WhenThisBloodyWarIsOver texts are quite different, with the Brophy/Partridge text appearing to be little more than the chorus of the Arthur version. But the Brophy/Partridge text refers to John French, making it relevant only in 1914-1915. The Arthur text refers only to "the French," not "John French." So I have to think the Brophy/Partridge text is closer to the original, with the Arthur text a modification made after John French was set aside. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.6
File: BrPa055A

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