It reportedly came about after Rhodesian African Rifles soldiers were escorting Italian prisoners of war off a boat in Durban, Natal Province, Union of South Africa.
[1] Due to the large amount of bananas being sold there, the soldiers stopped to buy some and composed a march about it.
[2] Upon the end of the war, the RAR were located in Egypt and when they were told their Commanding Officer was returning via the Suez Canal, the soldiers lined the banks to salute him and sang him in to "Sweet Banana".
[4] When the RAR was disbanded in 1981 following the establishment of Zimbabwe, "Sweet Banana" was performed for the last time as they marched through the streets of Bulawayo towards the ceremony where their colours were laid up.
[4] They had originally marched in silence and only performed it in response to hearing a young boy ask his father why the soldiers were not singing.