"HIGH FLIGHT"

ATC Observer, 1 August 1942, Page 4

"HIGH FLIGHT"

This poem ’’High Flight!’ has been chosen by ’official's of the Library of Congress in Washington, U.3.A1, to rank, with the poetic master- p pieces of the last war® It was written by John Gillespie Magee , before he was - killed in action with the' Royal Canadian Air- Force in i , December last, and permission has been granted for it to be posted ■ in all pilot-training centres of the British Empire# In a recent exhibition at the Congress Library "High Flight" shared a case with, Rupert Brooke’s ’’The Soldier” and John McCraes In Flanders Field."

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth 9 And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings, bunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things You have not .dreamed ofwheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlight silence• Hovering' there v I’ve chased the shouting -wind along ? and flung Ay eager craft through footless halls of "air*•

P#T*C»

up, up "the, long delirious, ' burning’ blue, . • ■ I - T ye topped : the wind-swept heights ; with ’ easy grace? Wherenever lark? or even .eagle? flew " . ’ • while with silent? lifting mind I T ve trod •• rhe high, untrespassed ■ sanctity 'of space? (> Put -out my hand, and touched’' the face of God® , •

Many Cadets will remember'Sgt® King who used to come in nearly every night last,summer, x and put us through our paces -on the parade ground® Some three months %go he was transferred to a northern station and nothing further'was heard of him for some time®. Your. Editor met him in town recently .and -was- surprised to hear that the Sgt® had been ill recently and was just recovering, retaining however’ some permanent ' ill affects. On behalf of those Air Training Corps personnel who had the pleasure of knowing Sgt. King, the' Observer expresses its deepest sympathy to him over his illness and extends him its best 1 wishes for the future.

We. have heard recently of Cadets from this Wing who have, six weeks after leaving us,been- flying solo* in the OX To these fellows the Observer extends its .heartiest congratulations,, showing as they do by their , success the value of A® T? C* training©