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G/C W. A. Curtis Presenting Wings to P/O Magee 16 June 1941
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High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds, - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air...
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark nor even eagle flew—
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God. |
John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
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Born 9 June 1922 in Shanghai, China.
American father, British Mother (missionaries).
St. Clare, England, 1932-36.
Rugby School in England 1936-39.
Avon Old Farms, Connecticut, 1939-40 (post-grad)
Earned a scholarship to Yale but instead he
Joined the RCAF in Montreal, 10 October 1940.
No.1 MD Toronto, 11 October 1940.
No.1 ITS, Toronto
(23 December 1940 to 27 January 1941, course #14)
No.9 EFTS, St. Catherines
(28 January 1941 to 17 March 1941, course #19) &
No.2 SFTS, Uplands, (10 April 1941 to 21 June 1941,
course #25, Service #R77134. "An above average
pilot - almost exceptional at aerobatics,
somewhat weak at precautionary landings").
(Winged 16 June 1941, 5 days before course ended)
General remarks include, "Shows plenty of initiative
- smart appearance - lacks discipline and shows an
unwillingness to obey orders"
Wrote High Flight in August 1941 while at
No.53 O.T.U., Llandow, Wales.
With 412 Squadron RCAF.
KiFA (AD291), 11 Dec 1941 - just 19 years old.
Collided with an Oxford MkII trainer (T1052),
piloted by LAC Ernest A. Griffin (killed), as his
flight was descending though a hole in the clouds.
Bailed out too low & 'chute failed to fully open.
Buried in Scopwick England. |
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Cousin Chris Magee flew with the Black Sheep Squadron
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Magee with "Brunhilde" (AD329 VZ-B) , a 412 Squadron Spitfire
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No Known Victories
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For more info check out this page at HighFlightProductions.com
And this excellent article at Vintage Wings
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