High Flight

Another Remembrance Day has passed. I always find it a somber and sad day. One of my earliest childhood memories would be of a Remembrance Day service at Camp Chilliwack. I was three or fours years old. 

This is a photo of the war memorial to Royal Air Force squadrons based at RAF Wickenby during the Second World War. 

Sculpture of Icarus by Margarita Wood ARCA, lettering by Ralph Beyer. Unveiled 1981. 

My father served with 626 Squadron during the winter of 1944. The squadron lost 49 planes in operations leading to the liberation of Europe. Bless all who served. 

High Flight 

by John Gillespie Magee, Jr

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds, --and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of --Wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air...

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace

Where never lark or even eagle flew --

And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.