AFOVA New Letter 2 of Year 2021

Section 7 – Panorama CV 2 No. 02 / 2021 Page 250 of 332 The spectrum was vast, the forces spread wide and far The buddies in arms were split from the start. The rush and exhilaration of wind in the face Of those wonderful machines which are a historian’s craze Gave way to the fast jets which sent you supersonic, While autorotation in the chopper left you in near panic. The Dak and the Caribou seemed to plod endlessly on, But the succour they provided proved the soldier’s prayer bang-on. To keep flying machines in the air is no joke, The credit is to the engineer that few people oft spoke. But like a lightning bolt which split asunder the sky The accompanying thunder, God’s own war cry The world seems to shatter as your buddy succumbs The black smoke and wreckage are mute witness to the crumbs. Snatched away in just an instant of time, By the same machine which was his ultimate shrine Oh God, in you we placed our trust Was it for “Ashes to Ashes and Dust to Dust”? Oh all ye brave aviators, riders of the storm Remember thy maker, for he forgiveth no one For there comes a time when our friends are gone Our hearts have bled but memories still linger on The sounds of silence are deep and bring forth a tear, The heart-rending strains of the “Last Post” we fear. But ‘tis said, “The Clock of Life is wound but once…..” When the clock goes still, we have no chance. ----------------- Acknowledgement Originally published in the pioneering book " In Memorium: The Fallen Air Warriors" written by Air Marshal Bharat Kumar PVSM AVSM, who chronicled all airmen lost in war and peace since the founding of the IAF on 08 Oct 1932. AFVOA deeply appreciates the Air Marshal's approval to publish the Ode.