Alcock and Brown

John William Alcock and Arthur Whitten-Brown
in nineteen-nineteen made a flight of renown
They flew Vickers Vimy from Newfoundland’s field
and landed in Galway their victory sealed

In sixteen short hours of thick fog and ice
These daring young fliers discarded advice
Brown - on the wing - scraped the height gauges clean
They flew up-side-down in their fog-bound machine

But Alcock saved both from a watery end
by great flying skill and great effort to send
two brave pioneers~ and their aircraft to fame
Atlantic sea crossed all ahead of the game

When Lindberg crossed later than Alcock and Brown
he landed in France and said - as he came down
The way was made clear by this Alcock and Brown
Now planes and not airships will cross with renown

When you fly the sky don’t forget who they were
They showed how the fly the Atlantic the pair
who flew more by instinct than certainty then
were British and proud and the finest of men

John William Alcock and Arthur Whitten-Brown
in nineteen-nineteen made a flight of renown
They flew Vickers Vimy from Newfoundland’s field
and landed in Galway their victory sealed

1999 © Charlotte Peters Rock


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