177845   No. 9 Squadron

   
 
 
RAF Bardney  
all is well ,all men alive  
it's the 12th of January  
1945 .  
 
 
Batons are waving  
they're clearing the ground  
it's the eighth hour  
and raining , Merlin engines  
they growl  
access is granted  
one final belt down  
engage roll the axles  
for a full power, throw out  
the Lancaster's  
gone weightless  
on a U boat pen  
attack  
practically defenseless  
the crew of seven  
they never  
looked back.  
 
 
 
Airborne  
one last time  
the fortieth  
of sorties in the sky  
in a skeleton  
of tin, stretched tight  
and a Tall Boy  
along for the ride .  
 
 
Aged only 22  
he yet again  
flew this huge    
bomber plane, bird and it's crew  
to escape radar  
at low altitudes .  
 
 
Now over  
the target area  
like sitting ducks  
on a hope, a single prayer  
then a Focke-Wulf  
it came  
to obliterate  
and it did of course  
all across the fjords  
which is where they layed, to rest
off shore .
 
Flight Officer  
Redfern  
D.F.C  
is missing  
in action  
we say , regretfully  
a letter of standard practice    
from the MOD  
for an everlasting  
active hero , respectfully .  
 
 
Bergen , Norway  
was the end of their  
world  
their lives they gave  
so the UK's freedom  
remained with us  
 
 
The pilot  
was married  
to my Grandmother  
for all of two weeks  
but I'll tell his story  
always for her  
for as long as I live .