David Layne
5th Sep 2019, 10:54
My father did a tour with 50 Squadron. When I was a child he would sing me to sleep with the refrain from this song.
In the year anno domini one nine four one
Operations decide there was a job to be done
Could have been Dusseldorf or Bremen or Hamm?
But the laddies in 5 group did not give a damn
As they went into briefing the COs did call
There’ll be plenty of fighters/searchlights but no flak at all.
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
As 50 squadron Hampdens went out to bomb Kiel
The aircrew, as usual, had not had its meal
And as they crossed Texel the gunner did cry
There’s a Messerschmitt fighter .. port quarter and high
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
They looked oer the side .. it was easy to see
The pride of old Goering.. the 109E
There was no sign of panic, no sign of fear,
But they took violent action in defence of the rear
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all.
From a night fighters cannon, the tracers did shoot
The gunner cried out it had missed by a foot
He blazed off his Vickers, called Jerry rude names
And cheered when the Messerschmitt went down in flames.
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
And over the target down there below
The city was lit by a dull reddish glow.
The observer to the pilot did shout,
Open the bomb doors, let the beggars look out
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
He pressed the old tit and the s**** whistled down
Hurrah cried the gunner, they're smacking the town
But the natives of Kiel took a rather dim view
And showed there are flak guns there was more than a few.
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
They blazed out their armament, heavy and light,
till the heavens resembled Brocks benefit night.
Each AAs opened up over the drink
And the crew to the observer created a stink
Oh get us a fix to the wops they did yell
If you don’t hurry up we will end up in hell
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
Fix was obtained to dm three?
As they went in to pancake they chortled with glee
Shot horrible lines to intelligence blokes
Who give air crew cheer up coffee and smokes
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
Here's a moral for pilots, for gunners and wops
If you want to stay healthy don't do any ops
And if in the next war they want you to fight
Keep your feet on the deck and sleep tight every night
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
In the year anno domini one nine four one
Operations decide there was a job to be done
Could have been Dusseldorf or Bremen or Hamm?
But the laddies in 5 group did not give a damn
As they went into briefing the COs did call
There’ll be plenty of fighters/searchlights but no flak at all.
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
As 50 squadron Hampdens went out to bomb Kiel
The aircrew, as usual, had not had its meal
And as they crossed Texel the gunner did cry
There’s a Messerschmitt fighter .. port quarter and high
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
They looked oer the side .. it was easy to see
The pride of old Goering.. the 109E
There was no sign of panic, no sign of fear,
But they took violent action in defence of the rear
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all.
From a night fighters cannon, the tracers did shoot
The gunner cried out it had missed by a foot
He blazed off his Vickers, called Jerry rude names
And cheered when the Messerschmitt went down in flames.
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
And over the target down there below
The city was lit by a dull reddish glow.
The observer to the pilot did shout,
Open the bomb doors, let the beggars look out
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
He pressed the old tit and the s**** whistled down
Hurrah cried the gunner, they're smacking the town
But the natives of Kiel took a rather dim view
And showed there are flak guns there was more than a few.
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
They blazed out their armament, heavy and light,
till the heavens resembled Brocks benefit night.
Each AAs opened up over the drink
And the crew to the observer created a stink
Oh get us a fix to the wops they did yell
If you don’t hurry up we will end up in hell
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
Fix was obtained to dm three?
As they went in to pancake they chortled with glee
Shot horrible lines to intelligence blokes
Who give air crew cheer up coffee and smokes
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all
Here's a moral for pilots, for gunners and wops
If you want to stay healthy don't do any ops
And if in the next war they want you to fight
Keep your feet on the deck and sleep tight every night
No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all