Take off

Take off

Untitled version of a poem about crews preparing for flight and taking off, watched by the station commander and off-duty WAAFs. Typewritten version with annotated handwritten revision notes.

One-page printed document

This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.

SReidK473650v20027

[inserted] WINDOWS [/inserted]

I look down from the window[deleted]s of the penthouse [/deleted] [inserted] [deleted] Flying Control [/deleted] [/inserted]

On the roof of Flying Control
Peering through the evening mist
That rolls around the loaded aircraft below
I [deleted] see the evening [inserted] The [/inserted] [/deleted] mist embracing them [deleted] like a shroud [inserted] The mist embraces Them [/inserted] [/deleted]
As if to keep them safely earthbound [symbol]
By their planes the aircrews
Mother’s sons who did not give
Them birth for this
Wait for take off
Smoking-some talking
Some standing apart
[deleted] No laughter in this scene
In which nightly they play tragedy role [/deleted]
The very light signals [deleted] time to go [/deleted]
[inserted] ITs Time To depart [/inserted]
Slowly [inserted] , [/inserted] encumbered with flying gear
They climb the steps into their planes
We [deleted] all [/deleted] watching earthbound this nights dice with death
P[inserted]er [/inserted] chance some give a backward glance
[deleted] Look [/deleted] [inserted] Loath ] [/inserted] to leave the earth they love
Then the 20 heavily laden planes
Wind slowly around the peri track
The group captain surrounded by few
Off duty Waafs and Ground Crew
Salute them as they pass
[deleted] And give a silent prayer [/deleted]
As the merlins roar [inserted] [symbol] And [ /inserted]
Lift [deleted] s [/deleted] you into the [deleted] h [/deleted] usky [inserted] dusky ]/inserted] evening air
We who watch send out a heartfelt prayer
God keep them safe
[deleted] That [/deleted] [inserted] That [/inserted] after 7 long hours [inserted] [deleted] I give a silent prayer [ /inserted [/deleted]
[inserted] [deleted] Bringing [/inserted] [/deleted] You will [deleted] be [/deleted] [inserted] come [/inserted] safely back through hells [inserted] own [/inserted] rack
Are you listening you up there?

[inserted] God Keep Them safe And after seven long hours [deleted] And [/deleted] Bring Them [deleted] Safely [/deleted] Back From Hells own rack Are you listening you up there [/inserted]

[inserted] We will See Them safely Back From Hells own rack Are you listening you up there? [/inserted]