No Flak At All

[David Layne]

When I was a child my Father used to sing to me a song that was popular with aircrews. I can only remember the refrain, can anyone help with the rest of it. The refrain goes............


No Flak, No Flak At All,
Plenty Of Searchlights But No Flak At All.

[spidge]

Originally Posted by David Layne

When I was a child my Father used to sing to me a song that was popular with aircrews. I can only remember the refrain, can anyone help with the rest of it. The refrain goes............


No Flak, No Flak At All,
Plenty Of Searchlights But No Flak At All.

Can't help David. Never heard of it however that doesn't mean alot.

Morse could be the man!

You tried a google search?

[morse1001]

Originally Posted by spidge

Can't help David. Never heard of it however that doesn't mean alot.

Morse could be the man!

Sorry, never heard of it!

I'm searching, but nothing yet.

[Kyt]

Originally Posted by Kitty

You tried a google search?

I was rather intrigued by this, and I thought it may have been originally a poem (WW2 poems seem to have been used quite often as ditties and songs). Anyway, I've tried google, using a combination of terms and possibilities, and checked out a few of the books, but I couldn't find anything. I even tried the WW1 & Korean war references, as there have been some cross overs, but again nothing.

Sorry David - I hope the others here can help (but thanks to your query I came across a few interesting poems I'd not come across before). Good luck

Problem is while the yanks had access to radios and a lot more time on Leave, our lads had to entertain themselves and made up songs, or 'adjusted' existing ones. I've just seen mention of a version of Bless 'Em All called Sod 'Em All. Anyone has the lyrics email me.

[David Layne]

Originally Posted by Kitty

You tried a google search?

No luck with a Google search. I asked my 89 year old Mother about it this morning. She remembers my Dad singing it to me when I was an infant and he had just returned from P.O.W. camp but alas she does not recall any other words. Will have to think about if further. Anyone know any ex R.A.F. aircrew that might know?

[Kyt]

Originally Posted by Kitty

Problem is while the yanks had access to radios and a lot more time on Leave, our lads had to entertain themselves and made up songs, or 'adjusted' existing ones. I've just seen mention of a version of Bless 'Em All called Sod 'Em All. Anyone has the lyrics email me.

Do you mean this one (there's an even ruder version!!):

A lace>Lancasterlace> leaving the lace>Ruhrlace>
Bound for old Blighty shore,
Heavily laden with flak-frightened crew
Scared stiff and prone on the floor.
There's many a bomber long finished his tour
There's many a plonk signing on
We'll get no promotioon this side of the ocean
So cheer up my lads, bless 'em all.
Sod 'em all, sod 'em all,
The long and the short and the tall,
Sod all the sergeants and WO ones,
Sod all the corporals and their bastard sons,
For we're saying goodbye to them all,
As back to their billets they crawl,
You'll get no promotion
This side of the ocean,
So cheer up, my lads, sod 'em all. They say there's a Whitley just leaving Ringway
Bound for old Tatton Park
Heavily laden with parachute troops,
Bound for a jump in the dark.
There's many a soldier who has jumped before,
There's many a one had a fall,
But you'll get no promotion if your chute doesn't open,
So cheer up my lads Bless 'em all.
Bless 'em all, bless 'em all,
The parachute packers and all,
Bless all the sergeants and their paratroops,
Bless all the packers and their statichutes,
'Cos we're saying good-bye to them all,
As out of their Whitleys they fall,
You'll get no promotion
If your chute doesn't open,
So cheer up my lads Bless 'em all.>>

Kyt, that is wonderful, thank you. Even better as my uncle did his para training out of Ringway over Tatton.