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Post Info TOPIC: Drinking Songs - popular in the Officers and Sergeants mess
Dee Palmer


Leading Aircraftsman

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Drinking Songs - popular in the Officers and Sergeants mess
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The Cantata I mentioned in an earlier post - and thanks to those who replied to my first request and provided the essential information together with other useful comments - is now almost completed and, in one of the lighter moments, I have included reference to one or two popular war time songs.

However, I can recall seeing (in a post war film about aircrew in WW2) a scene in the mess when a pilot was walking round with a pint of beer balanced on his head whilst his fellow pilots were "egging" him on and singing "Who will be the Muffin Man"!

Before I include it (as a musical quote) can anyone confirm that this was a typical mess activity and, particularly, the use of the above song?

Thank you.

Dee Palmer


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alieneyes


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Hi Dee,

I can confirm that at the Officer's Mess on 101 Squadron at Ludford Magna, Lincs, during the summer and fall of 1944  "The Muffin Man" was one of many that aircrew sang.

A couple of years ago, I asked a friend who was on the squadron about these wartime mess songs and he immediately began singing:

Do you know the Muffin Man, the Muffin Man, the Muffin Man
Do you know the Muffin Man who lives on Drury Lane?

Dave

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Anonymous

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I had seen a movie from 1941, a spy movie. One scene had a group of men in a bar at a table singing the muffin man song. At one point one of the men put the mug of beer on his head singing the song and of course the mug of beer fell off. It made me think what was the purpose, what was goal? The movie was directed by Billy Wilder, actully it was only the second movie he directed.



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MikeH


Air Vice Marshall

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Hi Dee,

after a bit of googling, in the movie 'Reach for the Sky' the Muffin Man song is heard as part of an RAF officers mess game where each player sings a verse while balancing a glass of beer on his head.

 

Regards,

Mike

 



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David Layne


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When I was a child my father used to sing the refrain of this one to me.



In the year anno domini one nine four one

Operations decide there was job to be done

Could have been Dusseldorf or Bremen or Hamm?

But the laddies in 5 group did not give a damn

As they went into briefing the COs did call

Therell be plenty of fighters/searchlights but no flak at all.



No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all





As 50 squadron Hampdens went out to bomb Kiel

The aircrew as usual had not had its meal

And as they crossed Texel the gunner did cry

Theres a Messerschmitt fighter .. port quarter and high



No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all



They looked oer the side .. it was easy to see

The pride of old Goering.. the 109E

There was no sign of panic, no sign of fear,

But they took violent action in defence of the rear



No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all.



From a night fighters cannon the tracers did shoot

The gunner cried out it had missed by a foot

He blazed off his Vickers, called Jerry rude names

And cheered when the Messerschmitt went down in flames.



No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all



And over the target down there below

The city was lit by a dull reddish glow.

The observer to the pilot did shout,

Open the bomb doors, let the beggars look out



No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all



He pressed the old tit and the s**** whistled down

Hurrah cried the gunner, theyre smacking the town

But the natives of Kiel took a rather dim view

And showed there are flak guns there was more than a few.



No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all



They blazed out their armament, heavy and light,

till the heavens resembled Brocks benefit night.

Each AAs opened up over the drink

And the crew to the observer created a stink

Oh get us a fix to the wops they did yell

If you dont hurry up we will end up in hell



No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all



Fix was obtained to dm three?

As they went in to pancake they chortled with glee

Shot horrible lines to intelligence blokes

Who give air crew cheer up coffee and smokes



No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all



Heres a moral for pilots, for gunners and wops

If you want to stay healthy dont do any ops

And if in the next war they want you to fight

Keep your feet on the deck and sleep tight every night



No flak, no flak at all. Plenty of searchlights but no flak at all



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Veni, Vidi, Velcro...I came, I saw, I stuck around

 

Researching my father's time with 50 Squadron, 97 Squadron, Dulug Luft, Stalag Luft VI, Stalag 357, and Stalag Luft III.  http://wallyswar.wordpress.com/

 

 
manxix


Squadron Leader

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Nice one David. Do you have a tune for it?

 

My Uncle Ken (pilot in 101 Squadron) told me that the following used to be sung in local pubs by aircrew :-

sung to the tune of John Brown's Body

 

We were flying Flying Fortresses at 40,000 feet

Flying Flying Fortresses at 40,000 feet

We were flying Flying Fortresses at 40,000 feet

But we only had one tiny little bomb.

 

Where, oh where shall we drop it ?

Where, oh where shall we drop it ?

Where, oh where shall we drop it?

Shall we drop our one tiny little bomb ?

It appears that not much else was known or needed after this as a fight had probably broken out with US airmen present.

Hi-Jinks eh?  or line-shooting? I prefer to think the first. - Ken hadn't even finished his Uni then.

 



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David Layne


Squadron Leader

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manxix wrote:

Nice one David. Do you have a tune for it?

 

No Balls at all.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-Q8MEIOCfY



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Veni, Vidi, Velcro...I came, I saw, I stuck around

 

Researching my father's time with 50 Squadron, 97 Squadron, Dulug Luft, Stalag Luft VI, Stalag 357, and Stalag Luft III.  http://wallyswar.wordpress.com/

 

 
manxix


Squadron Leader

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Thanks David.



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