Carrington, in The Complete Barrack-Room Ballads, comments: 'Based upon
the story of Juma, water-carrier to the Frontier Force regiment of the
Guides at the siege of Delhi, July 1857. He was selected by his comrades
as the bravest man in the regiment (G.F. Younghusband, Story of the Guides,
pp. 53-4).' John Whitehead's edition endorses this, adding that he was
decorated and taken on the strength as a regular soldier. Could the
peculiar circumstances account for the shortage and bad condition of the
water? Lisa Lewis
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