A Song from the Western Front

The Old Barbed Wire

If you want to find the sergeant,
I know where he is, I know where he is.
If you want to find the sergeant,
I know where he is,
He’s lying on the canteen floor.
I’ve seen him, I’ve seen him,
Lying on the canteen floor,
I’ve seen him,
Lying on the canteen floor.

If you want to find the quarter-bloke,
I know where he is, I know where he is.
If you want to find the quarter-bloke,
I know where he is,
He’s miles and miles behind the line.
I’ve seen him, I’ve seen him,
Miles and miles behind the line,
I’ve seen him,
Mile and miles behind the line.

If you want to find the sergeant-major,
I know where he is, I know where he is.
If you want to find the sergeant-major,
I know where he is,
He’s boozing up the privates’ rum.
I’ve seen him, I’ve seen him,
Boozing up the privates’ rum,
I’ve seen him,
Boozing up the privates’ rum.

If you want to find the C.O.,
I know where he is, I know where he is.
If you want to find the C.O.,
I know where he is,
He’s down in the deep dug-outs.
I’ve seen him, I’ve seen him,
Down in the deep dug-outs,
I’ve seen him,
Down in the deep dug-outs.

If you want to find the old battalion,
I know where they are, I know where they are.
If you want to find the old battalion,
I know where they are,
They’re hanging on the old barbed wire.
I’ve seen ‘em, I’ve seen ‘em,
Hanging on the old barbed wire,
I’ve seen ‘em,
Hanging on the old barbed wire.

Source: John Brophy and Eric Partridge, The Long Trail: What the British Soldier Sang and Said in the Great War of 1914-18 (London: Andre Deutsch, 1965), pp. 61,62.