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{{Infobox song
| name = D-Day Dodgers
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| written = November 1944
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| genre = [[War song]]
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| writer = Harry Pynn
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The '''D-Day Dodgers''' were [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] servicemen who [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|fought in Italy]] during the [[World War II|Second World War]]. The D-Day Dodgers also inspired a popular wartime soldier's song ([[Roud Folk Song Index]] no. 10499).

A rumour spread during the war that the term was publicized by [[Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor|Viscountess Astor]], a [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|Member of the British Parliament]], who supposedly used the expression in public after a disillusioned serviceman in Italy signed a letter to her as being from a "[[D-Day]] Dodger". However, there is no record that she actually said this, in or out of Parliament, and she herself denied ever saying it.<ref name=roy>{{Cite book |last=Palmer |first=Roy |title="What a Lovely War!" British Soldiers' Songs from the Boer War to the Present Day |publisher=Michael Joseph |year=1990 |location=London |page=227 |isbn=9780718133573 }}</ref>

Reference to a "D-Day Dodger" was bitingly sarcastic, given the steady stream of Allied service personnel who were being killed or wounded in combat on the Italian front. A "dodger" is someone who avoids something; the soldiers in Italy felt that their sacrifices were being ignored after the [[Operation Overlord|invasion of Normandy]], and a "D-Day Dodger" was a reference to someone who was supposedly avoiding real combat by serving in Italy, whereas the reality was anything but.

==The Ballad of the D-Day Dodgers==
Several versions of a song called "D-Day Dodgers", set to the tune "[[Lili Marleen]]" (a favourite song of all troops in the [[North African Campaign]] – the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British Eighth Army]] was a veteran formation from that theatre before landing in Italy), were sung with gusto in the last months of the war, and at post-war reunions.

The song was written in November 1944 by Lance-Sergeant Harry Pynn of the Tank Rescue Section, 19 Army Fire Brigade, who was with the [[78th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|78th Infantry Division]] just south of [[Bologna]], [[Italy]].<ref name=roy/> There were many variations on verses and even the chorus, but the song generally and sarcastically referred to how easy their life in Italy was. There was no mention of Lady Astor in the original lyrics.<ref name=roy/> Many Allied personnel in Italy had reason to be bitter, as the bulk of material support for the Allied armies went to Northwest Europe after the invasion of Normandy. They also noted sardonically that they had participated in several "[[D-Day (military term)|D-day]]s" of their own before the landings in Normandy became popularly known as "D-Day". The expression was used to refer to the day that any military operation began (with "H-hour" being the specific start time of an operation beginning on D-day), but the popular press turned it into an expression synonymous with the Normandy landings only. Italian campaign veterans noted that they had been in action for eleven months before the Normandy landings, and some of those had served in [[North African Campaign|North Africa]] even before that.

The numerous [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]] cemeteries across Italy are compelling evidence of the fighting which took place during campaigns such as [[Operation Avalanche]] and the subsequent [[Battle of Monte Cassino]].

Although [[Hamish Henderson]] did not write the song, he did collect different versions of it and it is attributed to him in the sleeve notes of the [[Ian Campbell Folk Group]]'s "Contemporary Campbells". Many different variations have been recorded.
[[File:Ortona cimitero canadese 05.jpg|thumb|right|300px|{{center|[[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|CWGC]] cemetery at [[Ortona]]}}]]
{{poemquote|We're the [[D-Day]] Dodgers out in Italy
Always on the [[wine|vino]], always on the spree.
[[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|Eighth Army]] scroungers and their tanks
We live in Rome – among the Yanks.
We are the D-Day Dodgers, over here in Italy.

We landed at [[Allied invasion of Italy|Salerno]], a holiday with pay,
[[Wehrmacht|Jerry]] brought the band down to cheer us on our way
Showed us the sights and gave us tea,
We all sang songs, the beer was free.
We are the D-Day Dodgers, way out in Italy.<ref>A Canadian version goes:
"We landed at Pachino, a holiday with pay
[[Wehrmacht|Jerry]] brought a band out, to cheer us on our way
Showed us the sights, and gave us tea
We all sang songs, the beer was free."
Dancocks 1991</ref>

The [[Volturno Line|Volturno]] and [[Battle of Monte Cassino|Cassino]] were taken in our stride.<ref>A Canadian version goes: "The [[Moro River Campaign|Moro]] and [[Battle of Ortona|Ortona]] were taken in our stride."</ref>
We didn't have to fight there. We just went for the ride.
[[Operation Shingle|Anzio]] and [[Gustav Line|Sangro]] were all forlorn.
We did not do a thing from dusk to dawn.<ref>
The verse sung on the recording ''Sod's Opera'' goes: [http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_photos.aspx?cemetery=70511&mode=1 Anzio] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929115456/http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_photos.aspx?cemetery=70511&mode=1 |date=September 29, 2007 }} and [http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_photos.aspx?cemetery=2021204&mode=1 Sangro] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929102519/http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_photos.aspx?cemetery=2021204&mode=1 |date=September 29, 2007 }} were a farce, we did fuck all, sat on our arse.</ref><br>For we are the D-Day Dodgers, over here in Italy.

On our way to [[Florence]] we had a lovely time.
We ran a bus to [[Battle of Rimini (1944)|Rimini]] right through the [[Gothic Line]].
On to [[Spring 1945 offensive in Italy|Bologna]] we did go.
Then we went bathing in the [[River Po|Po]].
For we are the D-Day Dodgers, over here 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 [[fear|windy]] D-Day Dodgers, out in Sunny Italy.

Now [[Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor|Lady Astor]], get a load of this.
Don't stand up on a platform and talk a load of piss.
You're the nation's sweetheart, the nation's pride
We think your mouth's too bloody wide.
We are the D-Day Dodgers, in Sunny Italy.

When you look 'round the mountains, through the mud and rain
You'll find the crosses, some which bear no name.
Heartbreak, and toil and suffering gone
The boys beneath them slumber on
They were the D-Day Dodgers, who'll stay in Italy.<ref>''Sod's Opera'' recording.</ref>

So listen all you people, over land and foam
Even though we've 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, way out there in Italy."}}

==Recordings of D-Day Dodgers==
* [[Pete Seeger]] on ''The Complete Bowdoin College Concert 1960'' (recorded 1960 released 2011)
* [[Ian Campbell Folk Group]] on ''Contemporary Campbells'' (1965)
* [[The Clancy Brothers]] and [[Tommy Makem]] on ''Home Boys Home'' (1968)<ref>{{cite web|author=Nick Guida |url=http://clancybrothersandtommymakem.com/cbtm_d24_home_boys.htm |title=Home Boys Home: at the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem |publisher=Clancybrothersandtommymakem.com |date= |accessdate=2012-02-12}}</ref>
* [[The Leesiders (UK band)|The Leesiders]] (UK folk duo) on ''The Leesiders'' (1968)
* [[The Spinners (UK band)|The Spinners]] (UK folk band) on ''By Arrangement'' (1973)
* [[The Yetties]] on Argo LP "Up in Arms" (1974) track listed as "Lili Marlele"
* [[Hamish Imlach]] on ''A Man's A Man'' (Autogram ALLP 215), (1978)<ref>[http://www.orpheusweb.co.uk/gatherer/scottish/artists/ham2.html orpheuweb.co.uk]</ref>
* [[Ian Robb]] on ''From Different Angels'' (1994)
* [[Pete Seeger]] on ''Kisses Sweeter Than Wine'' (1996)
* [[Charlestown (Manning album)|Kathy Hampson]]'s Free Elastic Band (est. 1990s)
* The [[Houghton Weavers]] on ''Songs of Conflict'' (2012)

==Literature==
*{{cite book |title=D-Day Dodgers: the Canadians in Italy 1943–45 |url=https://archive.org/details/ddaydodgerscanad0000danc |url-access=registration |first=Daniel G. |last=Dancocks |location=Toronto |publisher=McClelland and Stewart |year=1991 |isbn=0771025432 }}: sketches the history of [[Canadians|Canadian]] military participation in the [[Allied invasion of Italy|Italian Campaign]].
*''War Story D-Day Dodgers'' by [[Garth Ennis]] and [[John Higgins (illustrator)|John Higgins]] was a graphic novel published in 2001 by [[Vertigo Comics|Vertigo]] [[DC Comics]]. It contains a version of the song.
*Holman, James (2008). ''D-Day Dodger: Memories of a Canadian Foot Soldier in Italy''. {{ISBN|1897518900}}. Account of a soldier's experience during the Italian campaign. Contains black and white photos.

==See also==
*[[Reappropriation]]
*[[Operation Husky]]
*[[Operation Shingle]]
*[[Allied invasion of Italy]]
*[[Gustav Line]]
*[[Volturno Line]]
*[[Winter Line]]
*[[British military history of World War II]]
*[[Fourteenth Army (United Kingdom)]], the Forgotten Army
*[[List of anti-war songs]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{World War II}}

{{authority control}}
[[Category:Songs about soldiers]]
[[Category:Songs about the military]]
[[Category:Italian campaign (World War II)]]
[[Category:Songs of World War II]]
[[Category:Anti-war songs]]
[[Category:1944 songs]]

D-Day Dodgers - Revision history

Bot at 04:15, 28 September 2022