The Royal South Down Militia

Composed by Bro. Colonel R. H. Wallace, C.B., D.L.

I belong to a noble regiment, whose deeds are often told,
For on the field of battle they are always brave and bold;
They’ve ioyal hearts as well, as true as any steel,
And the place they show their bravery is on the battlefield.

For ye talk about your King’s Guards, Scots Greys, and a
Ye may sing about your kilties and the bonny Forty-Twa,
And of eu’ry other regiment under the King’s command,
But the South Down mileeshy is the terror of the land.

Och, boys, but it was grand when we in action first did join,
Along with noble William at the Battle of the Boyne.
Says King James, “I’ll take the first train home, ‘tis more than I can stand,
For them South Down Mileeshy is the terror of the land.”

For ye talk about your King’s Guards, Scots Greys, and a
Ye may sing about your kilties and the bonny Forty-Twa,
And of eu’ry other regiment under the King’s command,
But the South Down mileeshy is the terror of the land.

And when we were at Salisbury, in the year of Sev’nty-two,
The Queen of Spain and Duke was there to see the grand review;
“Och bloody wars”, the Queen remarked, and waved her lily hand,
“Them South Down Mileeshy is the terror of the land.”

For ye talk about your King’s Guards, Scots Greys, and a
Ye may sing about your kilties and the bonny Forty-Twa,
And of eu’ry other regiment under the King’s command,
But the South Down mileeshy is the terror of the land.

Now, there’s French, and Turks, and Prooshians, and brave Italians too,
There’s Greeks and Ancient Romans, not forgetting the Zulu;
But from Greenland’s icy mountains to Injy’s coral strand,
Och, the South Down Mileeshy is the terror of the land.

For ye talk about your King’s Guards, Scots Greys, and a
Ye may sing about your kilties and the bonny Forty-Twa,
And of eu’ry other regiment under the King’s command,
But the South Down mileeshy is the terror of the land.

Now at the Jubilee the Irish Rifles marched by;
Her Majesty observed them with a keen and martial eye.
“Och Major Wallace”, says the Queen, “Them boys of yours looks grand.”
“Och hould your tongue”, says Wolseley, “Thim’s the terror of the land.”

For ye talk about your King’s Guards, Scots Greys, and a
Ye may sing about your kilties and the bonny Forty-Twa,
And of eu’ry other regiment under the King’s command,
But the South Down mileeshy is the terror of the land.

When Kruger heard the regiment was landed at Capetown,
“De Wet”, says he, “we’re bate.” Says he “They’ve sent out the South Downs.”
Says De Wet, “If that’s a fact, me son, we’d better quit the Rand,
For them South Down Militia is the terror of the land.”

For ye talk about your King’s Guards, Scots Greys, and a
Ye may sing about your kilties and the bonny Forty-Twa,
And of eu’ry other regiment under the King’s command,
But the South Down mileeshy is the terror of the land.