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Introduction

This article is based on a translation of part of an item I wrote for a French language project. A number of people have been asking me about Lili Marlene and its various derivatives. So I have submitted this article in response to these requests. The information about ‘Lili Marlene’ was largely researched in France, while the ‘D-Day Dodgers’ information was mainly researched in the UK.

I know several versions of Lili Marlene, including the German language version by Lale Anderson (not to be sung at the local British Legion I imagine!). I quite like the Lili Marlene version in English by Marlene Dietrich. My personal favourite is probably the French language version sung by Suzy Solidor, as this was the version I used to listen to the most.

There are multiple versions of the ‘Ballad of the D-Day Dodgers’ set to the tune of ‘Lili Marlene’. I have seen and heard a number of these versions, all of which tend to be somewhat uncomplimentary to Lady Nancy Astor. Lady Astor reputedly stated that the British troops in Italy in June 1944 were ‘D-Day Dodgers’.

There are one or two of these ‘D-Day Dodgers’ versions on the ´óĎó´ŤĂ˝ “People’s War” website posted by fellows who can proudly say they were one of the ‘D-Day Dodgers’. Some of these versions may be (I am told!) rather rude. So, I include one of the ‘D-Day Dodgers’ versions I have come across, which should be suitable for all sensibilities. As far as I am aware, there is no copyright to any of these versions. So far as I am aware, the information in this article is correct.

Origins of Lili Marlene

One of the few things that united people of the world during World War Two was an obscure sentimental lyrical ballad first recorded in March 1938 by the German singer Lale Anderson. Hans Liep wrote the original words to the song and Norbert Schultze set the song to music. The German Minister of Propaganda, Josef Goebbels felt the song was not martial enough and so it was rarely played on German Radio.

Consequently, ‘Lili Marlene’ did not catch on with the German public in the early part of the war. In fact, its rise to popularity was purely by chance. In late spring 1941, Radio Belgrade was transmitting to the German Army in the Western Desert of North Africa. They made a request for additional records for transmission. The request was routed via Vienna. Among the records they sent was the Lale Anderson recording of ‘Lili Marlene’.

The tune catches on

Not only was the song ‘Lili Marlene’ adopted by the German Army, but also by the British and Commonwealth Army facing them. This caused some apprehension to both Dr Goebbels and the British Government. Fearing that ‘Lili Marlene’ may demoralise the troops, the British authorities commissioned an English language version of the song. It was written in 1942 by Tommy Connor.

Anne Shelton and the Ambrose Orchestra recorded one of the first ‘official’ British versions of ‘Lili Marlene’. Meanwhile, in a short period of time, the song became increasingly popular world-wide. In France, Suzy Solidor recorded the definitive French translation of the original. In the United States, the Berlin-born Marlene Dietrich recorded an English translation.

Within a relatively short period, ’Lili Marlene’ had gone from obscurity to become one of the best-known songs of the war. The world may have been divided by war, but it was a world united by this one song. It remains probably the definitive song of World War Two for many nations.

Lady Astor and the 'D-Day Dodgers’

From the beginning, soldiers serving in the Armed Forces made up their own parodies to the tune of ‘Lili Marlene’. Perhaps the best-known of these parodies was created by British troops serving in Italy in 1944. This came about after the British politician lady Nancy Astor was reputed to have claimed many of the British troops serving in Italy had deliberately avoided taking part in the Normandy Landings on D-Day.

Incensed British soldiers countered what they saw as a slur by coming up with ‘The Ballad of the D-Day Dodgers’. Upon learning of the musical riposte, Lady Astor strenuously denied the allegations. By this time, the ‘D-Day Dodgers’ song had caught on and it has become almost as legendary as the original ‘Lili Marlene’.

There are many variations of the ‘D-Day Dodgers’. All of them are uncomplimentary, if not rude, to Lady Astor and they are all set to the tune of ‘Lili Marlene’. Although not the first woman elected to be a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons, American-born Lady Astor had been the first woman MP to take her seat in the Commons in 1919. She took over as a Conservative MP from her husband Lord Waldorf Astor as MP for Plymouth Sutton, defeating the Liberal candidate Isaac Foot, father of the future Labour Party leader Michael Foot.

In my home area of West Cumbria, there is a small link to this particular Lady Astor of ‘D-Day Dodgers’ notoriety. In 1955, Lady Astor unveiled a Memorial Plaque in St Nicholas’ Church, Lowther Street, Whitehaven for Mildred Washington Gale (grandmother of George Washington, first President of the United States). Mildred Washington Gale is buried in St Nicholas’ Churchyard. Like Nancy Viscountess Astor, Mildred originally came from Virginia.

Evidently, ‘The Ballad of the D-Day Dodgers’ had not totally affected Lady Astor’s later credibility in being invited to perform official duties. One of the lines in a version of the ‘D-Day Dodgers’ ballad says:

“You’ll find battered crosses, some which bear no name”.

Ironically, St Nicholas’ Church Gardens has also become the focus for many of the people of West Cumbria to commemorate the victims of World War Two and other wars. There is a ‘Peace Tree’ where people place a ‘Poppy Cross’ to commemorate those who have died. I know that some of these crosses remember fellows who died in Italy. Sometimes when I see these crosses outside the Church where Lady Astor unveiled the Mildred Washington Gale Memorial I think of those ‘D-Day Dodgers’ who did their little bit in Italy and are ‘at rest’ so far away in sunny Italy.

The Ballad of the D-Day Dodgers (one version)

[Anonymous - sung to the tune of ‘Lili Marlene’]

We’re the D-Day Dodgers out in Italy -
Always on the vino, always on the spree.
8th Army scroungers and their tanks
We live in Rome - among the Yanks.
We are the D-Day Dodgers, way out in Italy.

We landed at Salerno, a holiday with pay,
Jerry brought the band down to cheer us on our way
We all sung the songs and the beer was free.
We kissed all the girls in Napoli.
For we are the D-Day Dodgers, way out in Italy.

The Volturno and Cassino were taken in our stride
We didn’t have to fight there, we just went for the ride.
Anzio and Sangro were all forlorn,
We did not do a thing from dusk to dawn,
For we are the D-Day Dodgers, way out in Italy.

On our way to Florence we had a lovely time.
We ran a bus to Rimini through the Gothic line,
All the winter sports amid the snow,
Then we went bathing in the Po.
For we are the D-Day Dodgers, way out in Italy.

Once we had a blue light that we were going home
Back to dear old Blighty never more to roam.
Then somebody said in France you’ll fight.
We said never mind, we’ll just sit tight,
The windy D-Day Dodgers in sunny Italy.

Now Lady Astor, get a load of this.
Don’t stand on your platform and talk a lot of ****
You’re the nation’s sweetheart, the nation’s pride,
But your lovely mouth is far too wide.
For we are the D-Day Dodgers in sunny Italy.

If you look around the mountains, through the mud and rain
You’ll find battered crosses, some which bear no name.
Heartbreak, toil and suffering gone
The boys beneath just slumber on.
For they were the D-Day Dodgers way out in Italy.

So listen all you people, over land and foam
Even though we’re parted, our hearts are close to home.
When we return we hope you’ll say
‘You did your little bit, though far away
All of the D-Day Dodgers out in Italy’.

I have heard it said that the British soldiers sang the last verse with vino on their lips and tears in their eyes ! I leave it to each individual reader to consider what word the anonymous author chose to rhyme with ‘this’ . In the context of all the bad things that were going on in the world during World War Two, I feel the occasional rude word can perhaps be excused.

Conclusion

Some of the verses in the above version that I learnt are similar to others I have seen, while other verses I have only seen written down in this version. However, I think this is a useful version to learn. It makes a reasonable if ironic attempt at summarising the experiences of the British troops in Italy. Other parts of the ‘D-Day Dodgers’ ballad are rather sad. Obviously, I have tried to write parts of my account with a similar tongue-in-cheek amusing irony. I trust anyone reading this article takes this into consideration!

There is probably a lot of what might be described as myth and legend about ‘Lili Marlene’ and especially the ‘D-Day Dodgers’ . I have only written one version of the ‘D-Day Dodgers’ in this article. No doubt there are at least some things in this article that others may state is not the ‘correct’ version. The ‘Lili Marlene’ versions will be subject to copyright.

Perhaps there is no proper ‘definitive’ version of the ‘D-Day Dodgers’. Perhaps Lady Astor never did actually use the term ‘D-Day Dodgers’ . Perhaps Josef Goebbels did actually like the song ‘Lili Marlene’. Whether true or not, the legend of ‘Lili Marlene’ and that of the ‘D-Day Dodgers’ hopefully will continue to represent part of the history of World War Two in the same way as the war leaders or the battles that were fought.

As someone who was born some years after World War Two, I really only really know about what happened in the war from what I have heard or seen, guided by those who lived through those times. Songs and music can help to keep alive those wartime memories.

Finally, I would like to dedicate this article to all the ‘D-Day Dodgers’ who spent their time ‘way out in sunny Italy’. Many of them never left Italy and lie beneath a white stone with their name engraved on it. In reality, nobody ‘dodged’ D-Day. People went where they were told they were needed. Let this never be forgotten.

[NB - There are several references to the 'D-Day Dodgers' song on the "People's War" website. For an edited contribution and more information please go to the following posting by Trooper Tom Canning ( an 8th Army veteran):
http:www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2/A1145846]

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