WIX Archives

Re: Airmens Prayer

Posted by Elliott on Thu Aug 08, 2002 06:11:21 PM

In reply top Airmens Prayer posted by Ian Le Sueur on Thu Aug 08, 2002 04:08:18 PM

Hi Ian, not a prayer but maybve a suitable poem. It's quite well known and I first read it in the battle of britain: then and now by after the battle publishing.

It was written by PO John Magee - an american who enlisted in the RACF in Sept 1940. He died in his Spitfire in a collision in Dec 1941, a few months after he wrote the poem.

'High Flight'

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 even 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.

A bit more info here:
http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/history/prewwii/jgm.htm

Good luck!

Elliott
: Can any of you point me in the right direction?
:
: If any of you are going to be in Jersey or know of anyone
: coming on holiday or to see the International Air Display
: on September 12th, why not take time before you scuttle ba
: ck to the UK to come along to the unveiling of a memorial
: plaque to two RAF officers who were killed in action off o
: f the south coast of Jersey on December 7th 1942.
:
: The unveiling will take place at 11am on the morning of th
: e 13th (Friday !!!) and will be attended by the family of
: one of the pilots, several local and national dignitaries.
:
:
: The reason for this posting is that I need to find a suita
: ble prayer for the Parish priest to read at the service. I
: s their a recognised airman?s prayer?
:
: Can anyone help?
:
: If anyone would like more details on the pilots let me kno
: w and I'll fill you in.
:
: Regards from a rain drenched Jersey. I'm looking forward t
: o summer
:
: Ian Le Sueur

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