Johnny head-in-air: when a few saved the many...

James Nicolson winning his VC, 16 August 1940. Painted by Robert Taylor.

This was a famous war-time poem written remembering the many young pilots, often married with children, who died fighting. Not a few pilots were still in their teens and had done barely more than a few hours flying before they were sent into the skies - often to an untimely death.

For Johnny

by John Pudney

Do not despair
For Johnny-head-in-air;
He sleeps as sound
As Johnny underground.

Fetch out no shroud
For Johnny-in-the-cloud;
And keep your tears
For him in after years.

Better by far
For Johnny-the-bright-star,
To keep your head,
And see his children fed.


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