One of our TV stations ends with this poem every night ... thought maybe you would like a reminder ! Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . . Up, up the long, delirious burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or ever eagle flew — And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God. — John Gillespie Magee, Jr Great Aviation Quotes: High Flight by John Magee
I reckon you'll enjoy this lot, Annie: http://ww2chat.com/forums/war-air/204-poetry-about-aircrew.html There's also a soldier and sailor one.
Some lovely ones there Andy ! Actually I was trying to find Ernest Aubrey ... the man who also died in that accident ! but I haven't been able to find anything yet ! Annie
The wikipedia article gives more detail and some of Magee's other poems. John Gillespie Magee, Jr. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia He went to Rugby school and only spent the last year or so of his life in the USA. Its interesting that one of his poems is about Rupert Brooke: I've always thought of him as a WW2 equivalent of Rupert Brooke, an idealistic young man who wrote about beauty and the joy of life and died before he saw many of the horrors of war. Apparently, Ernest Aubrey was a Leading Aircraftsman, and so presumably a junior trainee pilot. I can't find a mention of him on the CWGC website; I would have thought he would have rated a CWGC grave as much as Magee. Have we got his name right?
Name: GRIFFIN, ERNEST AUBREY Initials: E A Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Leading Aircraftman (Pilot U/T) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Age: 19 Date of Death: 11/12/1941 Service No: 1314735 Additional information: Son of Ernest and Mary E. Griffin, of Headington, Oxford. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Left Hand Column. Cemetery: OXFORD CREMATORIUM
You're so smart K !! :clapping: No wonder I couldn't find him ... I only had half a name !! ... thank you !! Such a waste ... he was only 19 too !
Found this ... when this poem was the most memorable TV end-of-programming-day signoff piece ! POETENCY & APOETASY: A GREAT SONNETEER
