The song speaks of the gravestone of Willie McBride, a 19-year-old
Irish soldier who died in the war and is buried in foreign soil. The narrator of
the song asks McBride how he came to die and if it was worth the sacrifice. It
seeks to understand McBride’s story in battle in an emotional song.
There were five known William McBrides who died in France
during WWI. However, the one who fit the circumstances of the song best was Private
William McBride from Lislea, Armagh, who was killed on April 22, 1916. He is
buried in France’s Authuile Military Cemetery. Unlike the song, however, this
real Willie McBride died at age 21, not 19.
Trevor Geary,
a historian from County Armagh, researched the life of William McBride, and he
and Bogle both confirmed that the Willie McBride from Lislea is the one
described in the song. However, the song is a tribute to all of the Irishmen
who lost their lives while fighting for the British cause.
The song was written at the height of the Troubles in
Northern Ireland. The song was written after the Birmingham and Guildford
bombings, which unleashed a wave of anti-Irish sentiment across Britain. He
hoped the song would help end this sentiment, but noted that the reference and
message was so hidden that people missed it.
He also hoped it would remind people that several Irishmen
died during World War I while fighting for the British. Many Irishmen viewed
this time as an adventure and as a way to make a living instead of aiming to
preserve the British Empire.
“Green Fields of France” is one
of three songs written by Bogle about WWI. The other two are “The Band
Played Waltzing Matilda” and “All the Fine Young Men.” Each of these songs have
been widely covered by a variety of musicians.