At various times during the twentieth century British forces occupied Addu atoll, particularly Gan island where a huge air and sea military supply depot was established in 1957. The Gan drinking song was published regularly in the base's English newsletter. The following copy is from the June 1964 edition of the Gan Island Post.

Gan Song
Here we are spending a year on Gan
Passing 365 days, getting a wonderful tan
Here we are, spending a year in the sun
Getting a glimpse of a woman when we can
We've got to be contented if we want to keep our minds...
We've got to buy from NAAFI 'cos there are no other kinds...

I'm new to this, sweating beneath the sun,
In short I'd rather be away
I bathed without my flip-flops, and I've got a coral cut
The mosquito bites and sunburn too will drive me off my nut
And I've got over fifty weeks to stay

Look at me, my year is nearly through
I don't know how I've stuck it and oh boy I pity you!
Look at me waiting to go at last
All those weary days and months have passed,
The M.O. says I've changed a bit, I think this may be true
My manhood has been stunted and I don't know what to do
I've forgotten what a woman is, I'm alcoholic too
And I've only got another month to do...