--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Come you back, you British soldier; come…" description: "\"Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay!\" — Rudyard Kipling" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/rudyard-kipling-527_british_come-you-back-you-british-soldier-come-y_867359.png" --- # Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to… ![“Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay!” quote by Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/rudyard-kipling-527_british_come-you-back-you-british-soldier-come-y_867359.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/rudyard-kipling-527_british_come-you-back-you-british-soldier-come-y_867359.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/rudyard-kipling-527_british_come-you-back-you-british-soldier-come-y_867359.png) > “Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay!” [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A longing for home and the familiar comforts of one's own land after experiencing foreign places **In simple terms:** Missing home and familiar comforts Key Takeaway Cherish home memories Themes nostalgia home longing Mood melancholic reflective Type poetic nostalgic When to use this quote - soldier returning home - expatriate reflections - cultural displacement Key Concepts imperialism colonial longing Questions to Reflect On - What comforts do you miss most? - How does nostalgia affect your decisions? A Different Perspective May romanticize the past and ignore present realities ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [British soldiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-soldiers/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) ## Related quotes > [The British soldier who thought himself superior, actually became so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-british-soldier-who-thought-himself-superior-actually-became-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On the road to Mandalay, Where the flyin'-fishes play, An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer; China 'crost the Bay!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/on-the-road-to-mandalay-where-the-flyin-fishes-play-an-the-dawn-comes/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Still waiting for my soldier to come home.. Love you Andy!! (Awesomest Cousin in the ENTIRE world!!)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baileyrenae/still-waiting-for-my-soldier-to-come-home-love-you-andy-awesomest/) BaileyRenae > [The British soldier can stand up to anything except the British War Office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-british-soldier-can-stand-up-to-anything-except-the-british-war/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [If you come out of British TV, they're kind of saying, "Here's the keys to the kingdom. You are now going to go off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-webber/if-you-come-out-of-british-tv-they-re-kind-of-saying-here-s-the-keys/) [Peter Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-webber/) > [It is not given to us to peer into the mysteries of the future. Still, I avow my hope and faith, sure and inviolate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/it-is-not-given-to-us-to-peer-into-the-mysteries-of-the-future-still/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I think the main big thing for me has been the acceptance from the U.S. That's still crazy to me. To come over to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cher-lloyd/i-think-the-main-big-thing-for-me-has-been-the-acceptance-from-the-u/) [Cher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cher-lloyd/) > [“When I was young and had no sense In far-off Mandalay I lost my heart to a Burmese girl As lovely as the day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/when-i-was-young-and-had-no-sense-in-far-off-mandalay-i-lost-my-heart/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [In India there is a common saying that the way to Swaraj is through Mandalay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/in-india-there-is-a-common-saying-that-the-way-to-swaraj-is-through/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [No matter what the cause was and wherever it was, Indian governments must never requisition the services of British soldiers to deal with civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-matter-what-the-cause-was-and-wherever-it-was-indian-governments/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [We've seen the reality of Saddam's regime: his thugs prepared to kill their own people, the parading of prisoners of war and now the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/we-ve-seen-the-reality-of-saddam-s-regime-his-thugs-prepared-to-kill/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [We used to have a War Office, but now we have a Ministry of Defence, nuclear bombs are now described as deterrents, innocent civilians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/we-used-to-have-a-war-office-but-now-we-have-a-ministry-of-defence/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Technically it was a victory for the British, who attacked the patriot fortifications but a Pyrrhic victory if ever there was: out of 2,200…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-wheatcroft/technically-it-was-a-victory-for-the-british-who-attacked-the-patriot/) Geoffrey Wheatcroft > [I trust the integrity of the British government and the British soldiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-olmert/i-trust-the-integrity-of-the-british-government-and-the-british/) [Ehud Olmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-olmert/) ## More by Rudyard Kipling > [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“I follow the Law—the Most Excellent Law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/i-follow-the-law-the-most-excellent-law/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [O it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy 'ow's your soul/But it's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/o-it-s-tommy-this-and-tommy-that-and-tommy-ow-s-your-soul-but-it-s/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Believe the best of everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/believe-the-best-of-everybody/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Adam was a gardener, and God, who made him, sees that half of all good gardening is done upon the knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-of-all-good/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Call a truce, then, to our labors - let us feast with friends and neighbors, and be merry as the custom of our caste;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/call-a-truce-then-to-our-labors-let-us-feast-with-friends-and/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [No one accuses the gunner of maudlin affection for anything except his beasts and his weapons. He serves as least three jealous gods-his horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/no-one-accuses-the-gunner-of-maudlin-affection-for-anything-except/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“One of these days, Strickland is going to write a little book on his experiences. That book will be worth buying; and even more,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/one-of-these-days-strickland-is-going-to-write-a-little-book-on-his/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Good work does not matter, because a man is judged by his worst output and another man takes all the credit of his best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/good-work-does-not-matter-because-a-man-is-judged-by-his-worst-output/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes, said Chuchundra, more sorrowfully than ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/those-who-kill-snakes-get-killed-by-snakes-said-chuchundra-more/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Like everything else in the world, it is one man's work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/like-everything-else-in-the-world-it-is-one-man-s-work/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Father Wolf looked on amazed. He had almost forgotten the days when he won Mother Wolf in fair fight from five other wolves, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/father-wolf-looked-on-amazed-he-had-almost-forgotten-the-days-when-he/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [If you want something and don't get it, there are only two reasons. You either really didn't want it, or you tried to bargain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-you-want-something-and-don-t-get-it-there-are-only-two-reasons-you/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) [Explore all 491 Rudyard Kipling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## More British quotes > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I shot for French and British Vogue. The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/) [Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [I always wanted to make a 'James Bond' film, and they only seemed to hire British directors, and I'd made 'Swingers' - they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-a-james-bond-film-and-they-only-seemed-to/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) > [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [While we like to think queueing is unique to British culture, the truth is that we are mere amateurs. The old Soviet Union turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/while-we-like-to-think-queueing-is-unique-to-british-culture-the/) [Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) [Browse all 3,149 British quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rudyard Kipling" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/come-you-back-you-british-soldier-come-you-back-to-mandalay/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "British" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/come-you-back-you-british-soldier-come-you-back-to-mandalay/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/rudyard-kipling-527_british_come-you-back-you-british-soldier-come-y_867359.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/rudyard-kipling-527_british_come-you-back-you-british-soldier-come-y_867359.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/rudyard-kipling-527_british_come-you-back-you-british-soldier-come-y_867359.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay!” — Rudyard Kipling", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rudyard Kipling", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Come you back, you British soldier;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/come-you-back-you-british-soldier-come-you-back-to-mandalay/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/come-you-back-you-british-soldier-come-you-back-to-mandalay/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```