JOLLY FLYING WEATHER ( sung to a tune vaguely reminiscent of the Eton boating song )
Jolly flying weather
Up in the blue blue sky,
With the engine a-roaring
Life's never boring
But often distressingly short.
Jolly flying weather
What a beautiful day to die
We drop little bombs
With panache and aplomb
While singing the Eton Boating song
Such a shame we won't live very long
For flying's such jolly fine sport.
Jolly flying weather,
Up in the blue blue sky
If God meant us to fly
He'd have given us wings
Instead of these rickety aeroplane things
But what's wrong with the sky's
That it's far far too high
And when I look down - How I wish that I -
I wish I had one of those parachute things.
© nigel hallworth 2014
The higher authorities in the RFC were opposed to the issuing of parachutes . It was felt at the time that a parachute might tempt a pilot to abandon his aircraft in an emergency rather than continuing the fight.