The Drogue

Flak, Volume 1, Issue 3, 15 April 1943, Page 6

The Drogue

Our 0.C., Mr. Brebner, By the nine gods he swore To make his boys-efficient men Or gunners nevermore. ' • ‘ ■ By the nine gods he swore it. / He named the trysting day, - Arid bade his Don/R to ride forth— East and west and south and north—. To summon his array. Now are the gunners gathered, Now, -restless, watchers sway, Now round 'them throng the High Lords To watch the great essay/- •- Now overhead roar the,, motors, With drogues of colours gay. A proud man was our Brebner then On that great trysting day. ■ ' ■ Now One is to the forefront To dead the grand /attack. A A‘_ Spectators gaze with muttered awe ' At 'rising clouds of flak. \ Alas! for hopes unuttered. r / . Alas! for faces pale. The drogue sails by, untouched, on high, z And sprightly wags its tail. /// But Brebner’s face is pale, < And Brebner’s brow is low, And - darkly looks he at his men, And darkly at the foe. Quoth he: “The bat-faced airmen Have put . us on the 'spot.-/ ' But Heaven help you boys’ at home If that drogue you do not swat!'

And those whose turn it is to shoot Now-wish to be the last; The faint ones swig their ginger-ale Whilst drogues sail by, and fast. The orders given are to fire; X The troops can not obey. ' / The bugle calls of victory Die fitfully away. * But hark! The cry is “Tasker!” . And Lo! the ranks divide; And the great Lord from, the Lower Hutt Comes with his stately stride. . . Around his ample-buttocks ' Gleams bright the sharpened steel, And in his hands he shakes the. cards Which none but he can deal. : ' ■■■ : . ' ' . i . • ... .... '.-A. A. >- v • '■ • - • Fie : smiled on frowning. Brebner -~<A smile serene and .high. ' He eyed the flinching gunners And, scorn was in his eye? , > , Quoth he: “The bat-faced airmen,. They mock us from on high! But -will ye dare to have a shoot x - If, Tasker has a try?” Then whirling up those playing cards, With both hands to the height, He rushed - into the gun-pit . And fired -with all his might. And the airman in his cockpit, - ■/Dismay . upon his face, Saw drogue and ropes, with flying : gear,- ' > \ Shot-gaily into space. . . They took' that shattered, shell-torn ' drogue ,- / / d -And, tore it into'bits; .7/A - They gave each gunner there a piece, : For . emergencies or fits.

They took the shattered flying gear And hung it up on high. In our rec. room bare, it still hangs there, To witness if I lie. They took that sergeant gunner, And carried him on high.. ■- ' And Waacs cried out with; waving scarfs ■, As the procession gay passed by. Then from the sacred Canteen Funds',; Where lie _ the boys’ delights, A pack of cards they gave to him To soothe his weary nights.

And in the .depth of winter, ■ z When the south wind howls and blows, When the boys play with their toasters, And - the good beer froths and flows, With weeping and with laughter Still is the story told, How that drogue was downed by Tasker, In the brave days of old. '