The Quartermaster's Store facts for kids

The Quartermaster's Store is a very old and popular song. It's known as a traditional song, meaning its exact start is a bit of a mystery! People have been singing it for a long, long time.

This song was sung by soldiers from Britain and Australia/New Zealand (ANZAC) during World War I. It might even be older, possibly from the 1600s during the English Civil War. A "quartermaster" in the army is the person in charge of all the supplies, like food, clothes, and equipment. The song humorously lists all the strange and sometimes messy things you might find in their store!

The song became popular in the United States by the 1930s. American volunteers who fought in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) sang it. During World War II, it was a favorite among soldiers and airmen in the RAF.

A Song for Everyone

"The Quartermaster's Store" isn't just for soldiers anymore. It's become a very popular campfire song! You'll often hear it sung in Scouting and Guiding groups around the world. It's a fun song to sing with friends.

Even cricket fans, like the "Barmy Army" who support the England team, sing versions of this tune. They sometimes make up new words about their favorite players, like Stuart Broad and his father Chris.

How the Song Works

This song is a "list song," which means each verse adds a new item to a list. Because it's been passed down by people singing it (oral tradition), the words can change a lot. There are many different verses!

Here are some examples of what you might find in the Quartermaster's Store, as sung in the song:

There were rats, rats, big as house cats,
In the store, in the store.
There were rats, rats, big as house cats,
In the Quartermaster's store.

[Chorus] My eyes are dim, I cannot see,
I have not brought my specs with me,
I have not brought my specs with me.

There were socks, socks, as smelly as old rocks,
In the store, in the store.
There were socks, socks, as smelly as old rocks,
In the Quartermaster's store.

[Chorus]

The chorus, "My eyes are dim, I cannot see, I have not brought my specs with me," is often sung after each verse. It adds to the funny idea that the quartermaster might not even see all the strange things in their own store!

Famous Recordings

Many musicians have recorded "The Quartermaster's Store" over the years. Here are a few:

• c. 1939 – Murgatroyd and Winterbottom (British comedians)
• 1940s – Pete Seeger, an American folk singer
• 1960 – The Shadows, a British instrumental band, on the B-side of their hit song "Apache"
• 1964 – Burl Ives, an American singer, on his album Scouting Along with Burl Ives
• 1979 – Raffi, a Canadian singer known for children's music, on his album The Corner Grocery Store (as "The Corner Grocery Store")
• 1985 – The Band of the Royal Corps of Signals (a British Army band)