The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

David McNay · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:27 pm Post subject: 51st Highland Division

This look quite a new website, and some of the sections are incomplete, but there's a lot of interesting material there.

http://www.51hd.co.uk/

I'll be contacting them to try and have our site linked by them.

Jim · Joined: 30 May 2008 Posts: 195

A wee 51st HD connection in song.

The late Hamish Henderson's http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/arts/writingscotland/writers/hamish_henderson Farewell To Sicily aka The 51st Highland Division's Farewell to Sicily

The pipie is dozy the pipie is fey
He wullnae come roon for his vino the day
The sky o'er Messina is unco and grey
And a' the bricht chaulmers are eerie

Fareweel ye banks o' Sicily
Fare ye weel ye valley and shaw
There's nae Jock will mourn the kyles o' ye
Puir bluidy squaddies are wearie
Fareweel ye banks o' Sicily
Fare ye weel ye valley and shaw
There's nae hame can smoor the wiles o' ye
Puir bluidy squaddies are wearie

Then doon the stair and line the waterside
Wait your turn the ferry's awa
Then doon the stair and line the waterside
A' the bricht chaulmers are eerie

The drummie is polisht, the drummie is braw
He cannae be seen for his webbin awa
He's beezed himsel' up for a photy and a'
Tae leave wi' his Lola his dearie

Fare ye weel ye dives o' Sicily
Fare ye weel ye shieling and ha'
We'll a' mind shebeens and bothies
Whaur kind signoritas were cheerie
Fare ye weel ye banks o' Sicily
Fare ye weel ye shieling and ha'
We'll a' mind shebeens and bothies
Whaur Jock made a date wi' his dearie

Then tune the pipes and drub the tenor drum
Leave your kit this side o' the wa'
Then tune the pipes and drub the tenor drum
A' the bricht chaulmers are eerie

Tune: Farewell to the Creeks by PM James Robertson.

Dots available at http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/4795 > sheetmusic