halfway cross the sky to hell there's a shady meadow green,
halfway cross the sky to hell there's a shady meadow green, where the souls of all dead airborne troops camp by a clear cool stream;
 and this eternal resting place is known as fiddlers green.
 marching past straight through to hell some soldiers can be seen;
 accompanied by old satan, with his feiry eyes agleam;
 for none but the gallant paratroops can camp on fiddlers green.
 though some go coursing cross the sky to seek a warmer scene, no trooper ever gets to hell ere he's emptied his canteen;
 and thus comes back to drink again with friends on fiddlers green.
 and so when man and 'chute go down in a raging fire so keen, or in a roaring ambush you stop a bullet clean when the enemy comes to help you die, just empty your canteen, and put your rifle to your head, drink with mates on fiddlers green-- and have no fear, for your next stop: drink with mates on fiddlers green.
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another of the songs sent by ray chapman of brisbane.
 in the earliest, and only version of this song that i've seen, dating from the indian wars in the us, and especially the cavalry: the last verse--when the savages come to take your scalp.
, in the version my grandfather sang in the cuban campaingn, and during the philippine insurrection--when the spaniards (moros) come to cut off your balls, just empty your campaign.
 I last heard my grandfather singthis song in 1958, the year he died, when I was 11.
 the only words that stuck in my mind were those written above.
 that was over 40 years ago now, and from that vantage point I can't remember how long before he died that I heard him singing fiddlers green, but I have no doubt that my grandfather, sgt.
 edward harrison kauffman, like myself, had no doubt that he was headingfor fiddlers green, and drinks with his mates.
 "and when my time comes, as come it must, and I will leave this place"--I'll sit down by that clear cold stream with my grandfather, great-grandfather, and father, and my mates who have gone before, and have a few songs over a cool beer.
 declan--are merchant seamen there, too, mate?
 boer war version only the mounted infantry.
 so when man and horse go down,
halfway down the track to hell.
 wwi version had changes to suit conditions.