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 loyal hearts as well, as true as any steel,
And the place they show their bravery is on the battlefield.
Chorus.
For ye talk about your King's Guards,
Scots Greys, an a',
Ye may sing about your kilties and the bonny Forty-Twa,
And of ev'ry other regiment under the Kings command,
But the South Down Militia 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, 'tis more than I can
stand,
For them South Down Militia is the terror of the land."
Chorus.
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 Militia is the terror of the land."
Chorus.
Now, there's French, and Turks, and
Prooshians, and brave Italians too,
There's Greeks and Ancient Romans, not forgetting the Zulu;
But from Greenlands icy mountains to Injys coral strand,
Och, the South Down Militia is the terror of the land.
Chorus.
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
look awful grand."
"Och hold your tongue", says Wolseley, "Them's the terror
of the land."
Chorus.
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."
Chorus.
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