617 Squadron. The legend lives on
Silhouetted against
The sky at dusk
The deafening sound
Of quiescent calm
Belies the task
This night awaits
The deliverance
An almighty thrust
At the lifeblood
Of an enemy
As yet unaware
Of events unfurling
A flare awakens
This nebulous scene
Our young souls
Stir and arise as one
Each to their waiting machine
One hundred and thirty-three
Boys of spirit abound
Mount their nineteen steeds
Seven to each
Is sufficient to steer
And take their gift
To the enemy found
Begone the goodbye
Off the apron with crew
Six One Seven
The squadron strong
Line to the runway
Performing on cue
The engines sweet song
Lifting their craft
From the ribbon below
Out into the night
Brave hero’s all
One hallowed throng
The first wave out
The next to follow
Their second wave tight
The final five free
Attending the brief
To bring up the rear
All know the task
Needed that night
To deliver the blow
With meticulous poise
Pin point precision
Focused might
So toward the Dutch coast
Our advocates fly
No mean feat
Two hundred high
Then mindful of trees
The present for the enemy
Conceived for the foe
Sat snug in their belly
One bomb apiece
Under the night time shroud
Sufficient to breach
Their mission complete
Now is the moment
The time to explain
What our boys carry
Their intended gain
Nineteen dark
Dramatic birds
Releasing their orb
Of earth shattering dread
Three great dams
Breached by intent
Shatter and loose
Waters until all is spent
The target reached
With its waters deep
The first wave in
At sixty feet
Our illustrious leader
Drops his charge down
Now the genius of invention
Takes up the crown
His orbital bomb bounces
Straight and true
Against the solid mass
Rolls down its face
To its impending doom
The eruption of water
Confirms its play
Two more hits
Is enough on the day
To breach this edifice
Of concrete and iron
“She’s gone” is the cry
This will be the shout
For the next ones in line
Their bombs gone
Then time to away
To home, dawn
And the new day
Theirs was to dare
Theirs was to do
We will always say a prayer
For our boys in blue
The man to the fore
Born of the sky
Aged just twenty-four
His years on earth
Vaulted, exalted
He led by precedent
His band of warriors
Steadfast and brave
So deserving of their glory
Put their way
Of the nineteen crew
Hand-picked elite
The cream of the crop
Who endeavoured this feat
Just eleven craft returned
To home once more
Eight were lost
Fifty-three souls released
to heaven above
They are testament
To all who flew
On that extraordinary night
That incredible deed
Exemplary daring
Performed by them
And their brothers they knew
We will always say a prayer
For all
And the Lancs they flew
