View Full Version : Mossie pilot query (.....a long shot!!!)
kevmusic
26th Jul 2006, 13:51
Hi all,
Many, many years ago, I read a book about the Mosquito. In it was a photo of a composer/Mosquito pilot whose name I can't remember. Now the Mossie happens to be one of my absolute fave aeroplanes; I am a musician, and I compose, so I'm very curious to find out a little more about this chap. The photo wasn't expanded on in the text so I have no other details.
Sorry I can't be any more specific - over to you, the bookworms!
Hope you can help; TIA
Kev. :ok:
John De Lacey Wooldridge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wooldridge) :cool:
Unlike Allied heavy and medium bomber crews, Mosquito men routinely operated in daylight at extremely low altitudes. They used this tactic to minimize exposure to anti-aircraft defenses and to insure precise accuracy during bombing and strafing attacks. For their trouble, they experienced a sweeping, personal view of the war in Europe that was not available to any other group of combatants. Wing Commander John Wooldridge, writing in his book "Low Attack," summed up the experience this way:
"It would be impossible to forget … the sensation of looking back over enemy territory and seeing your formation behind you, wing-tip to wing-tip, their racing shadows moving only a few feet below them across the earth's surface; or that feeling of sudden exhilaration when the target was definitely located and the whole pack were following you on to it with their bomb doors open, while people below scattered in every direction and the long streams of flak came swinging up; or the sudden jerk of consternation of the German soldiers lounging on the coast, their moment of indecision, and then their mad scramble for the guns; or the memory of racing across The Hague at midday on a bright spring morning, while the Dutchmen below hurled their hats in the air and beat each other on the back. All these are unforgettable memories. Many of them will be recalled also by the peoples of Europe long after peace has been declared, for to them the Mosquito came to be ambassador during their darkest hours. "
John Bowles ... missed Bernstein's sensational New York Philharmonic-Symphony debut standing in for the indisposed Bruno Walter, but was sent along to hear the same orchestra, under Artur Rodzinski, perform RAF Wing Commander John Wooldridge's composition A Solemn Hymn for Victory. "Dr Rodzinski previously had promised the English composer to play one work of his for every five enemy planes he shot down. Last night's performance was presumably in payment for the first pentad."
A2QFI
26th Jul 2006, 14:41
Congratulations ORAC! 8 minutes to give someone the answer to a seriously obscure question! The internet is great but you have to be a bit of an ace to get results like that!
kevmusic
26th Jul 2006, 15:04
Congratulations ORAC! 8 minutes to give someone the answer to a seriously obscure question! The internet is great but you have to be a bit of an ace to get results like that!
And you beat me, A2QFI! But absolutely spot on right. Can't thank you enough Orac! :D:D:ok:
kevmusic
26th Jul 2006, 15:05
Except it was 6 minutes!!! :rolleyes::cool:
kevmusic
26th Jul 2006, 15:06
An excellent result....
......& if you put "mosquito pilot" composer into Google, about 0.64 secs later, & 7 or so links down - which leads you you here (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2005/June05/John_Wooldridge.htm)........... :p
........:uhoh:...........
You gotta admit I came up with a couple of good quotes in the time frame as well as the biography..... :cool:
spekesoftly
26th Jul 2006, 17:54
Full credit to ORAC, but I'm a little concerned about some posters' calculation of time!
13:51 to 14:07 is Sixteen minutes! ;)
kevmusic
26th Jul 2006, 18:10
I'm the reason they invented calculators. :}
The next question is whether the score to 'A Solemn Hymn to Victory' still survives, and whether a recording was ever made?
Over to you, Kevmusic.
A2QFI
27th Jul 2006, 10:09
Full credit to ORAC, but I'm a little concerned about some posters' calculation of time!
13:51 to 14:07 is Sixteen minutes! ;)
Yes, right, that's me! I'm getting bit Alzheimerish! I go upstairs and then can't remember why. I check the time - if it is 0900 I have a d*mp and if it is 2100 I go to bed! It was still a result for ORAC and, of course, the amazing Google, but not for me!
jindabyne
27th Jul 2006, 12:33
A2QFI
I can remember when you had difficulty getting upstairs, never mind the reason!!