Henry's Songbook

As I Cam In By Sandbank

• (Hamish Henderson)

As I cam' in by Sandbank, by Sandbank, by Sandbank
As I cam' in by Sandbank I heard the Yankee curse
De'il tak' the mairchers, the mairchers, the mairchers
De'il tak' the mairchers, they've got it in for us

We'll hae tae shift Polaris, Polaris, Polaris
We'll hae tae shift Polaris, and Proteus and a'
For if we dinnae shift them, shift them, shift them
For if we dinnae shift them we'll get nae peace at a'

(Sandbank - town on the Holy Loch)

As sung by Josh MacRae

Tune: Weel May the Keel Row

Susannes Folksong-Notizen

• [1961:] With a barrage of fire-hoses the United States Navy yesterday repulsed the seaborne invasion of anti-Polaris demonstrators who tried to board the submarine depot ship Proteus in the Holy Loch [west of Glasgow]. (The Scotsman, 22 May)

• [1961:] US sailors turned fire-hoses on those who tried to board the Proteus from kayaks, dinghis, launches and motorised houseboats. One houseboat bearing a red cross and the words "Life, not death" bore down on the Proteus. Giving chase, two police launches collided, one of them carrying senior police and naval officers. (Glasgow Herald, 22 May)