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I found the following poem (hand written in his writing) amongst my Uncle Wilf (Rippon)'s belongings when he died two years ago. I do not know whether he wrote it - he was at the time of the D-Day landings in Italy with his regiment on their way back from North Africa.

D-Day Dodgers (Tune of Lili Marlene)

We are the D-Day Dodgers who never heard a gun
Drinking all the vino and having lots of fun
We didn’t want to go to France
In case there might have been a chance
That we should have to fight
Thru’ all the mud and shite

If we ever leave here, what a blow t’would be
To leave the dear old rest camp in Sunny Italy
In France we’d like to do our bit
But we’re not used to such good kit
We only hope and pray
This is our last D-Day

We hope the lads in France will soon be getting leave
After 6 months service why are they not relieved?
We’ve all been here 2 years or more
But will gladly stay for 4
We are the D-Day Dodgers
Out here in Italy

We’ve heard of Lady Astor, our pin up girl out here
She’s the dear old lady who send us such good beer
And when we get our Astor Brand
We’ll be the proudest in the land
We are the D-Day Dodgers
Out here in Italy

Once we had a news flash we were going home
Back to dear old Blighty and never more to roam
But they never gave us any sign
And still we’re staying in the line
We are the D-Day Dodgers
Out here in Italy

When the war is over, you’ll know we’ve done our bit
Plodding over mountains through all the mud and shit
We had not air borne soldiers here
To fight our Battles from the rear
We are the D-Day Dodgers
Just home from Italy

We fought them in the sunshine, we fought them in the rain
We fought them in the mountains, we fought them on the plains
And we will fight them until we win
Until we march into Berlin
And kiss Lili Marlene
And kiss Lili Marlene

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