Bombs Over Bremen.

My entry for the catalogue competition ‘Historical Figures’. Whilst this is essentially fiction it is based on a real person.

Bomber Commands’ offensive against the cities of Germany was one of the epic campaigns of the Second World War. More than 56,000 British and Commonwealth aircrew and 600,000 Germans died in the course of the RAF’s attempt to win the war by bombing. The struggle began in 1939, with a few score primitive Whitleys , Hampdens and Wellingtons groping blindly through the darkness over Europe. It ended 6 years later with 1,600 Lancasters, Halifaxes and Mosquitoes, equipped with the cream of Britain’s wartime high technology, razing whole cities in a single night.

On Monday, 18 December 1939, Leading Aircraftsman Harry Jones of 37 Squadron, Bomber Command, ate his last breakfast in England for five and a half years at home in Feltwell with his wife Mary….

(Excerpts from Bomber Command by Max Hastings)

This song and the paintings here took inspiration from reading Max Hastings’ book. The reference images for the paintings I took from old Second World War photos found on the internet, with the exception of ‘ ..a lingering kiss.’ which is original.

My interpretation of what happened that night is different to what was in the book, mine being a fictional account of what the tail gunner was thinking, these are not Harry Jones’ thoughts. I can’t imagine what it was like or how I would have felt in his situation, I only know war, in any form, is such a tragic waste of life…

With his breakfast he’d soldiers and strong cups of tea,
For his wife he’d a lingering kiss.
He held her so tight she could hardly draw breath,
There were so few moments like this

He waved her goodbye and made for the camp,
His squadron was due to take flight.
The bombs were loaded the engines were fueled,
They’d be over Bremen tonight.

They’d be over the city,
Over the city tonight
There’d be bombs on the city
All over the city tonight

He sat in the tail gun and watched the night sky,
Looking out for enemy planes.
He tried not to think of the power they bore,
Or the death, destruction and pain

They’d be over the city
Over the city tonight
There’d be bombs on the city
All over the city tonight

Soon the flak was exploding, igniting the sky,
But they flew inexorably on.
German fighters attacked them from out of the dark,
As he twisted and turned with his gun

Flying over the city
Over the city tonight
Dropping bombs on the city
All over the city tonight

As he watched the bombs fall he thought of his wife,
And he softly whispered her name.
He tried not to think of the people below,
Of the death, the destruction and pain

All over the city
Over the city tonight
All those bombs on the city
All over the city tonight

As they turned to go home he took one last look
At the city now all aglow,
He tried not to think about what they’d done,
About the destruction below

Flying home from the city
Home from the city tonight
All those bombs on the city
All over the city tonight

But he’d only done what they’d told him to do,
These were harsh consequences of war.
Now going back to his wife and his home
He prays for the end of it all

And for no more cities
No more cities at night
No more bombs on their cities
No more cities alight

Please no more cities
No more cities at night
No more bombs on their cities
No more cities alight