If we take it as read....

[abu nuwas]

You make me happy

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Ed, I love Danny Deever. Kipling's affinity with the "common" man, coupled with his ability to make the "cultured" understand that the "common" have sensibilities worth taking note of, makes him one of the absolute greats. That calm rationalising of death to settle the ranks, when the Colour-Sergeant is clearly quite rattled himself, almost completely encapsulates the reasons why the British Empire succeeded so spectacularly.

Not that the British weren't without their fair share of imbecilic officers...
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I actually thought while pasting it, that there is a resemblance of sorts to your Australian ballads, and although Kipling was not a 'working-man' , neither was Paterson. Both had the advantage, I think, of being pre-telly, and at a time when learning by rote was normal. How better than word of mouth to become known?

You're absolutely right about the Colour-Sergeant- he knows duty, but is conflicted. (My Dad became a Colour-Sergeant, but was broken back for some form of disobedience.)