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08 Jan 08 - 10:46 PM (#2231713) Subject: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: GUEST,Barry Mathews I am looking for the lyrics of a song my father used to sing to me. It is sung to the Battle Hymn of the Republic/Glory Glory Hallelujah. I dont know if it is a real song or if it was something he made up!! Our sergeant major's got a crown upon his sleeve repeat x2 He won it at the crown and anchor bar the chorus is Glory Glory Hallelujah etc thats all I remember. |
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08 Jan 08 - 10:53 PM (#2231717) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: TRUBRIT We were army not airforce but I remember a verse about a parachutist who jumped out of the plane and his chute didn't open..... They picked him off the tarmac like a lump of strawberry jam....... Don't remember any other verses - I apologize for remembering this one. |
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08 Jan 08 - 11:57 PM (#2231754) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: masato sakurai See the "From: GUEST,Edmund / Date: 30 Sep 04 - 02:54 PM" post at Cadence or Marching Songs. |
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09 Jan 08 - 04:59 AM (#2231841) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Leadfingers A Sergeant Major with a crown upon his sleeve was ARMY - NOT R A F . And that song is NOT in 'The Airmans Song Book' - Try the Brown Jobs , not the Fly Boys . |
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09 Jan 08 - 05:43 AM (#2231854) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Newport Boy This song, with many variations, was a great favourite in the Scouts in the mid-40s. I must have heard a hundred verses at various camps. Our variation on the strawberry jam verse was: They scraped him off the Beacons like a pound of strawberry jam (x3) And sent him home to Mam. As in Brecon Beacons - our local mountains. We also had a popular pair of verses: The RAF were flying Lancasters at 1800 feet (x3) And they only had a teeny-weeny bomb. The Yanks were flying Fortresses at 40,000 feet (x3) And they had a bloody great bomb! The popularity owed more to the opportunity to sing a swear word in public than any transatlantic rivalry, although I'm sure the originator of the couplet had an RAF background. Phil |
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09 Jan 08 - 10:38 AM (#2232060) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Q (Frank Staplin) The link by Masato is to the RAF version, which seems to have been the most often sung. Here is an army verse: We had a sergeant major, who never fired a gun, He won the DCM for things he never done. And when the shells came over, you should see the bastard run Oh! Miles behind the lines. |
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11 Jan 08 - 03:26 PM (#2234149) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Snuffy It's soldiers who jump out of planes, not brylcreem boys. And I don't believe the RAF has Sergeants Major either, so IMHO Edmund's posting is actually an Airborne song rather than an Airforce one. |
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11 Jan 08 - 05:29 PM (#2234250) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Leadfingers What sensible Airman would deliberately jump out of a serviceable Aeroplane ? |
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11 Jan 08 - 09:28 PM (#2234425) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Effsee Rockapes! |
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12 Jan 08 - 05:09 AM (#2234588) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: The Walrus Newport Boy, The versions of your Lancs/Fortress verses I heard ran: "We're flying Flying Fortresses at 40 000 feet "Flying Flying Fortresses at 40 000 feet "We're flying Flying Fortresses at 40 000 feet "We've got bags of point five ammo and a teeny-weeny bomb" "Glory, glory shall we drop it? "Glory, glory shall we drop it? "Glory, glory shall we drop it? "We've got bags of point five ammo and a teeny-weeny bomb" "We're flying Avro Lancasters at zero zero feet "Flying Avro Lancasters at zero zero feet "We're flying Avro Lancasters at zero zero feet "We've got sod-all ammunition and a bloody great big bomb" "Glory, glory shall we drop it? "Glory, glory shall we drop it? "Glory, glory shall we drop it? "We've got sod-all ammunition and a bloody great big bomb" I can't recall where I picked that one up. As for "...They scraped him off the Beacons like a pound of strawberry jam (x3) And sent him home to Mam..." I learned that as two distinct verses (with a third to follow up): "They scraped him of the runway like a lump of strawberry jam (x3) "And he ain't going to jump no more" "They wrapped him up in four by two and sent him home to Mum (x3) "And he ain't going to jump no more" "She put him on the mantlepiece, next to his dear old Dad (x3) "And he ain't going to jump no more" ("Four by Two" was 4" x 2" 'regulation flanelette', cleaning patch material for .303" calibre service rifles). Just another variation for the files. Walrus |
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12 Jan 08 - 05:21 AM (#2234596) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Leadfingers Frank - Did YOU consider 'The Regiment' to be part of OUR Air Force ?? LOL ! |
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12 Jan 08 - 05:33 AM (#2234600) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Newport Boy Thanks, Walrus - your versions are more firmly based in the military (I'm not getting into the Army v RAF dispute). Remember that mine are from 10-year olds. No doubt the strawberry jam verses were combined for the jam/Mam rhyme. That's the Welsh influence - any kid who said 'Mum' came from the posh side of town. We knew some kids said 'Mummy', but they were at private schools, so we never met them. Phil |
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12 Jan 08 - 10:38 AM (#2234693) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Flash Company I remembered it as :- They scraped him off the tarmac like a pot of Raspberry Jam(x3) And he'll never go sky diving anymore CH Glory,glory, what a hell of a way to die (x3) And he'll never go sky diving anymore. I live near to Ringway and Tatton Park where they used to train the para's. FC |
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12 Jan 08 - 06:03 PM (#2234990) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Ian Burdon lots of these songs were collected some years ago into a book called "Kiss Me Goodnight Sergeant Major". My copy is in the attic but you can get it easily enough here - http://tinyurl.com/3ytt6v Ian |
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13 Jan 08 - 03:24 PM (#2235572) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: GUEST,Jacqued The Regiment was most definitely part of our air force! I served with the Provost and entertained many Rockapes in our establishments! |
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14 Jan 08 - 02:39 AM (#2235891) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Bugsy I always remembrer US (RAF)as "Brylcream Boys" and the Army were "Pongos", 'cos where the Army goes the"Pongos"! Cheers Bugsy (ex RAF) |
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14 Jan 08 - 02:40 AM (#2235892) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Bugsy Oops! should have put the US in "" By that I meant 'us' not "U.S" CHeers Bugsy |
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14 Jan 08 - 05:12 AM (#2235926) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Leadfingers he R A F - the Real Air Force ! LOL |
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14 Jan 08 - 05:47 AM (#2235941) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: skipy I've jumped out of 8 of them leadfingers! See your point though! Skipy |
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14 Jan 08 - 11:59 AM (#2236189) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: The Walrus "...I always remembrer US (RAF)as "Brylcream Boys" and the Army were "Pongos", 'cos where the Army goes the"Pongos"!..." "Brylcream Boys"? Nah, you're the "Crabs"* W * RAF blue was more or less the same colour as the ointment for treating crab-lice |
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14 Jan 08 - 03:11 PM (#2236337) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Effsee "Crabfats" was the expression used by RN personnel I worked with! Same explanation as Walrus. |
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14 Jan 08 - 05:15 PM (#2236416) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Irish sergeant I just looked up the rank structure for the RAF during the Second World War The equivilent tank of a Sergeant Major in the RAF Was (And for all I know may still be) Master technician. So Snuffy, you're correct in your statement. Bugsy, Does the RAF still use Master Technician? Neil |
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27 Aug 12 - 05:19 AM (#3395783) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: GUEST,GetItRightMan The full song is this: ''The Yanks were flying fortresses at 40,000 feet'' ''Hoorah'' ''The Yanks were flying fortresses at 40,000 feet'' ''Hoorah'' ''The Yanks were flying fortresses at 40,000 feet'' ''Hoorah'' ''And he ain't gonna jump no more'' ''Glory, glory hallelujah'' ''Glory, glory hallelujah'' ''Glory, glory hallelujah'' ''And he ain't gonna jump no more'' ''He jumped from 40,000 feet without a parachute'' ''Hoorah'' ''He jumped from 40,000 feet without a parachute'' ''Hoorah'' ''He jumped from 40,000 feet without a parachute'' ''Hoorah'' ''And he ain't gonna jump no more'' ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''And he ain't gonna jump no more'' "They scraped him of the runway like a splat of strawberry jam'' ''Hoorah'' "They scraped him of the runway like a splat of strawberry jam'' ''Hoorah'' "They scraped him of the runway like a splat of strawberry jam'' ''Hoorah'' ''And he ain't gonna jump no more'' ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''And he ain't gonna jump no more'' "They wrapped him up in four by two and sent him home to Ma'' ''Hoorah'' "They wrapped him up in four by two and sent him home to Ma'' ''Hoorah'' "They wrapped him up in four by two and sent him home to Ma'' ''Hoorah'' "And he ain't going to jump no more" ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''And he ain't gonna jump no more'' "She placed him on the mantlepiece, there for all to see'' ''Hoorah'' "She placed him on the mantlepiece, there for all to see'' ''Hoorah'' "She placed him on the mantlepiece, there for all to see'' ''Hoorah'' "And he ain't going to jump no more" ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''And he ain't gonna jump no more'' ''He went all green and mouldy so she chucked him in the bin'' ''Hoorah'' ''He went all green and mouldy so she chucked him in the bin'' ''Hoorah'' ''He went all green and mouldy so she chucked him in the bin'' ''Hoorah'' ''And he ain't gonna jump no more'' ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''Glory, glory what an 'eck of a way to die'' ''And he ain't gonna jump no more'' |
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27 Aug 12 - 07:40 AM (#3395840) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Jack Campin Another one to the same tune (no deaths but similar cynicism about top brass) is the RAF WW2 song "The Firth of F*ing Forth". |
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27 Aug 12 - 08:34 AM (#3395862) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: MGM·Lion Note thread I started in 2009 on songs sung to this tune, which I have just refreshed in relation to this thread. ~M~ |
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27 Aug 12 - 09:12 AM (#3395876) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Ged Fox The set of verses I tend to sing at scout camp-fires:- the SAS were jumping out at 40,000 feet the packer tied a love-not in the sergeant's parachute; the sergeant was the last to jump, the first to hit the ground; they scraped him off the tarmac like a lump of strawberry jam; they wrapped him up in 4 by 2 and sent him home to mum; she put him on the mantlepiece for everyone to see; she put him on the table when the vicar came to tea; he said he liked the flavour but he didn't like the pips. As there are fewer camp fire leaders with service backgrounds (not that I am claiming one,) 'runway' seems more common these days instead of 'tarmac,' & 'a matchbox' instead of '4X2.' 'The packer' seems to be mostly absent as well. commonest current refrain, round 'ere, seems to be "Glory, glory, what an 'ell of a way to die, suspended by your braces when you don't know how to fly, Glory, glory, what an 'ell of a way to die, an' 'e ain't gonna jump no more." |
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27 Aug 12 - 09:21 AM (#3395881) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Keith A of Hertford There was a version sung by UK paratroops. Anyone interested? |
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27 Aug 12 - 09:27 AM (#3395883) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: GUEST,Lighter Sure. You can't have too many versions of a folksong! |
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27 Aug 12 - 10:06 AM (#3395898) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Keith A of Hertford Is everybody happy said the sergeant looking up The para boldly answered yes and then they hooked him up He jumped into the slipstream and he twisted 20 times And he aint gonna jump no more Glory glory The rigging lines wrapped around his neck, the D rings cracked his dome The liftwebs tied themselves in knots around each skinny bone His canopy became his shroud, he hurtled to the ground And he aint The ambulance was on the spot the jeeps went running wild The medics they all clapped their hands, rolled up their sleeves and smiled For it had been a week or more since the last chute had failed And He hit the ground, the sound was splat, the blood went spurting high His friends were sadly heard to say, Lord what a way to die They wrapped him up all in his chute, and poured him from his boots And... |
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27 Aug 12 - 05:58 PM (#3396092) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: dick greenhaus (also posted in another thread) BLOOD ON THE RISERS (GORY, GORY) He was just a rookie trooper, and he surely shook with fright As he checked all his equipment, and made sure his pack was tight He had to sit and listen to those awful engines roar, "You ain't gonna jump no more!" cho: Gory, Gory, what a helluva way to die, Gory, Gory, what a helluva way to die, Gory, Gory, what a helluva way to die, He ain't gonna jump no more. "Is everybody happy ?" cried the sergeant, looking up, Our hero feebly answered, "Yes!" and then they stood him up, He leaped into the blast, his static line unhooked, He ain't gonna jump no more! He counted long, he counted loud, he waited for the shock, He felt the wind, he felt the clouds, he felt the awful drop, He jerked his cord, the silk spilled out and wrapped around his legs. He ain't gonna jump no more! The risers wrapped around his neck, connectors cracked his dome The lines were snarled and tied in knots, around his skinny bones, The canopy became his shroud, he hurtled to the ground, He ain't gonna jump no more! The days he's lived and loved and laughed kept running through his mind, He thought about the girl back home, the one he'd left behind, He thought about the medics and wondered what they'd find, He ain't gonna jump no more! The ambulance was on the spot, the jeeps were running wild, The medics jumped and screamed with glee, They rolled their sleeves and smiled For it had been a week or more since the last chute had failed He ain't gonna jump no more ! He hit the ground, the sound was "SPLAT," the blood went spurting high, His comrades then were heard to say "A Helluva way to die!"; He lay there rolling 'round in the welter of his gore. He ain't gonna jump no more! There was blood upon the risers, there were brains upon the chute, Intestines were a-dangling from his paratrooper's boots, They picked him up still in his Chute and poured him from his boots He ain't gonna jump no more! @parody @air @parachute @WWII |
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27 Aug 12 - 08:56 PM (#3396181) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Joe_F There are similar "gory, gory" songs for rockclimbers & skiers in _The New Song Fest_. They are both pastiches on the preceding one, or else the other way around. |
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28 Aug 12 - 09:01 AM (#3396364) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Charley Noble Yes, my gang found a version of this song amusing when we used to sing it in college during the 1960s. We were all immortal then. Wasn't it grand! Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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28 Aug 12 - 11:14 AM (#3396444) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: GUEST,c.g. I learnt it at school in the late 50's/early 60's. Can't remember very much - He jumped out and on the way forgot to pull the chord x 3 And he ain't gonna jump no more (ch)Glory glory what a hell of a way to die x 3 And he ain't gonna jump no more They scraped him off the tarmac like a lump of strawberry jam They packed him up in Tupperware and sent him home to mum (Tupperware must have been very new then.) |
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28 Aug 12 - 09:11 PM (#3396752) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Bugsy I remembr it as: He jumped for Forty Farzen Feet Wivart a Parachute And he ain't gonna jump no more! Cheers bugsy |
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29 Dec 12 - 12:58 AM (#3458585) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: GUEST,Brian I seem to remember from the ATC in the early 50s: The Yanks were flying fortresses at 40,000 feet Guns ans shells the've got on board enough to sink a fleet But the're only bombing Calais and we really must repeat The've only got on teeny weeny bomb |
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29 Dec 12 - 04:23 AM (#3458598) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Dead Horse I notice that a lot of the references compare the RAF to the USAAF bombers. The RAF Lancaster had a large bomb bay area and could carry a normal load of 14,000lb - about twice the amount of the B17 Flying Fortress. But the USAAF Fortress flew at a much greater ceiling (35,000ft as compared to the Lanc at 21,000ft) and therefore outranged most of the Luftwaffe fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft guns which couldnt match it. The Lancaster was used for carpet bombing (many bombs over a wide area) whereas the Fortress was used for 'precision bombing' (one bomb in every load coming within five miles of its target) :-) Huge numbers of both types were shot down on raids over occupied Europe and many aircrew were killed. But in general, the song refers to airborne forces of the army, not the airforce. |
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29 Dec 12 - 05:29 AM (#3458614) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: bubblyrat The RAF also used Boeing B17 Mk F and G "Flying Fortresses " in WW2, in what we would nowadays call an ECM role . Operating from RAF Oulton in Norfolk , they used weirdly-named pieces of equipment such as "Airborne Cigar" and "Jostle" in order to disrupt and confuse German radars like "Freya B " and "Giant Wurzburg" and carried German-speaking " Special Wireless Operators" who gathered useful intelligence from listening to the enemy ! The aircraft used to accompany the main bomber streams of Lancasters etc, often all the way to Berlin.My father , F/Sgt , later Flying Officer John Mills , RAFVR , flew 18 "Operations" in B 17 s between June 1944 and May 1945 , including two Berlin trips ( over 9 hours !) and the last Operation by Bomber Command in WW2 .He was a WOP/AG , or Wireless Operator / Air Gunner and manned the starboard waist .50 calibre Browning (but never hit anything !).I believe that the aircraft operated at around 36000 feet. Despite this ,I joined the Fleet Air Arm ! FLY NAVY --SAIL ARMY-- WALK SIDEWAYS |
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29 Dec 12 - 05:35 AM (#3458615) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: GUEST,Chris Murray My dad was a bomber pilot in the RAF in WW2 and he used to sing the song about the Sergeant Major. Unfortunately, he's dead now so I can't tell him he got it wrong. |
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29 Dec 12 - 09:35 AM (#3458669) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WW2 RAF song From: Charmion Interesting. In the Royal Canadian Air Force of today, the Master Warrant Officer who is the senior non-commissioned member of a flying squadron or ground unit is addressed as Sergeant-Major. Over almost 45 years of the unified Canadian Forces, this usage has crept in from the Army, and I was surprised to encounter it at National Defence Headquarters among the photographers of CF Combat Camera (image technicians are Air Ops types). Back in the day, when I was an airfield medic in Germany, the Little Tin God of my personal firmament was the SWO, or "Station Warrant Officer". His opposite number was the Regimental Sergeant Major of the infantry battalion that occupied the north end of the airfield. (Yes, it was an odd and not very comfortable arrangement.) When these two worthies foregathered for coffee with the Battery Sergeant Major of the airfield defence unit (anti-aircraft artillery), we lesser mortals vanished ourselves at great speed for fear of Being Seen. |
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25 Feb 18 - 05:53 PM (#3907941) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WWII RAF song From: GUEST,Norman The Yanks were flying Fortresses at 40,000 feet (3 times) With lots of ammunition and a teeny weeny bomb. Glory, Glory, halleluyah etc. The RAF were flying Lancasters at zero, zero feet (3 times) With no ammunition and a bloody great bomb. Glory, Glory, halleluyah etc. Our Flt Sgt fell from 40,000 feet (3 times) And he ain´t gonna jump no more. Glory, Glory etc. He landed on the runway lika a lump of strawberry jam (3 times) And he ain´t gonna jump no more. Glory, Glory etc. They put him in amatchbox and they sent him home to mum (3 times) And he ain´t gonna jump no more. Glory, Glory etc. |
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03 Aug 21 - 04:13 PM (#4115290) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WWII RAF song From: GUEST I have memories of my father singing the Lancaster v Fortress song. He was an air gunner in Bomber Command, including Pathfinders. He recalled singing the RAF version over the airwaves to their American colleagues, to irritate them. The only lyrics that I can recall are; "We were flying Flying Fortresses at Forty Farzend feet, (x3) But We've only got a teeny, weeny bomb. We've got bags of ammunition and a hell of lot of guns, (x3) But we've only got a teeny, weeny bomb." There were some other verses, which I didn't have the foresight to commit to memory. |
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03 Aug 21 - 04:16 PM (#4115291) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WWII RAF song From: GUEST,Lesley Smith Sorry; forgot to put my name in the previous post with my Dad's Bomber Command memories of this song. |
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04 Aug 21 - 03:23 AM (#4115347) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WWII RAF song From: BobL FWIW, a variant from our choirmaster in the '60s (who wasn't a military type, guess he picked it up during National Service) Our Flight Sergeant's got a crown upon his arm (x3) But he thinks he wears it on his ***** head May have some relevance to the original post. |
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04 Aug 21 - 09:53 AM (#4115381) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: WWII RAF song From: GUEST,Peter "I just looked up the rank structure for the RAF during the Second World War The equivilent tank of a Sergeant Major in the RAF Was (And for all I know may still be) Master technician. So Snuffy, you're correct in your statement. Bugsy, Does the RAF still use Master Technician? Neil " A bit late but I didn't see this thread the previous time around. Master Technician was abolished as a rank in 1964 and merged with Warrent Officer. The rank is equivalent to the army WO1 which is the rank held by a regimental sergeant major. There is no RAF equivalent to the army WO2 (company sergeant major) so flight sergeant to WO is effectively a double promotion by army standards. |