Enjoy some great Tempest Mk. V music!
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How did the Napier Sabre powered Hawker Tempest Mk. V sound?: Tempest Mk. V taxing/take-off/fly-bys (2.3MB/3:36 mins)
How did the V-1s sound?: V-1 attack (833kB/1:17 min) |
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Joe Berry DFC song written and sung by Tom Patterson
Tom Patterson's Joe Berry DFC song
The lyrics:
"Upon the walls of Duke's School hall are the names of Servicemen, whose duty led them to an early grave. Within the rows of heroes who will live for evermore, one man among the bravest of the brave. Joe Berry joined the Airforce but was stationed far away, flying missions from a foreign base. He gained his cross in Italy destroying German planes, in battles high up over Naples Bay.
(Chorus)
'Carry on Chaps - I've had it', were the final words he said, when his blazing Tempest ploughed down in a field. But there was no mention of his death in The Journal or The Times - no tribute to Joe Berry DFC.
Promoted Squadron Leader for his daring in the air, with orders to resist a deadly threat. Hitler's flying rockets had brought terror to the South, killing many hundreds while they slept. Launched into the darkness heading out across the sea, the V1 bombs were silent in their flight. Lighting up the night sky at 400 miles an hour - with a ton of high explosives packed inside.
(Chorus)
'Carry on Chaps - I've had it', were the final words he said, when his blazing Tempest ploughed down in a field. But there was no mention of his death in The Journal or The Times - no tribute to Joe Berry DFC.
He had no gauge to give the range when closing on his pray, but Joe survived through courage and great skill. It only took a moment, some misfortune or mistake, for a airman to be blown up with his kill. One single summers evening when the 'Divers' came in waves, Joe was up there leading in the fray. He followed in the slipstream firing though the trailing flames, blasting seven 'Doodle-Bugs' away.
(Chorus)
'Carry on Chaps - I've had it', were the final words he said, when his blazing Tempest ploughed down in a field. But there was no mention of his death in The Journal or The Times - no tribute to Joe Berry DFC.
Above the shores of Holland in the final months of war, just 24 years old he came to grief. Fire in the cockpit and the sight of his own blood, confirmed this time there could be no reprieve. A posthumous Victoria Cross was certainly deserved; the Distinguished Service Order never came. Forgotten by the nation he saved from the 'Doodle-Bugs' - no other British Pilot matched his claim.
(Chorus)
'Carry on Chaps - I've had it', were the final words he said, when his blazing Tempest ploughed down in a field. But there was no mention of his death in The Journal or The Times - no tribute to Joe Berry DFC.
(Chorus repeated)
'Carry on Chaps - I've had it', were the final words he said, when his blazing Tempest ploughed down in a field. But there was no mention of his death in The Journal or The Times - no tribute to Joe Berry DFC."
Tom Patterson biography:
Tom Patterson was born in Newcastle Upon Tyne but left the region in 1967. After studying at Leeds University and teaching in Norfolk, Tom moved to the Midlands where he developed his
interest in folk music and began writing songs. In the mid 1970s, he teamed up with multi - inst
rumentalist Dave Morton and since then they have appeared together at numerous folk clubs, guested at festivals and played on local radio.
Tom's songs deal with a variety of subjects but his material exploring north - eastern themes has made him the most successful songwriter in the history of the annual Traditional Gathering held every Easter at Morpeth, Northumberland.
The story of Joe Berry first captured Tom's imagination when he read about the brave fighter pilot's exploits in a magazine published by an organisation called "The Fellowship of The Services." Tom returned to the article a number of years later and tried to find out more about Joe, but with only limited success. His song about Joe was finally completed in 2002 - the year that it was placed first in the original song composition category at the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering.
Squadron Leader Joe Berry at BBC
The BBC Transcript below made on the 8th September 1944 describes Squadron Leader Joe Berry's method of shooting down V1 flying bombs, and a description of the V1 he shot down over West Malling airfield on the 27th July 1944, for which he was only awarded half a kill.
The BBC transcript with Squadron Leader Joe Berry
The transcript:
"We patrol at between 5 and 6000 feet, that's about 3000 feet higher than the path of the average flying bomb. The first thing we usually see is a small light rather hard to distinguish from a star coming in from the sea, then the search lights light up and point out the direction from which the bomb is coming. The guns go into action and we wait for the bombs that get through the gun belt, as soon as we spot a bomb that's run the gauntlet successfully we make a diving turn and go down after it, finishing our dive just behind the bomb and opening fire at a range of about 250 yards.
The doodlebug doesn't go down easily it will take a lot of punishment and you have to aim at the propulsion unit, that's the long stove pipe as we call it on the tail, if your range and aim are dead on you can see pieces flying of the stove pipe the big white flame at the end goes out and down goes the bomb. Sometimes it dives straight to earth, but other times it goes crazy and gives a wizard display of aerobatics before finally crashing, Sometimes the bomb explodes in mid air and the flash is so blinding that you can't see a thing for about 10 seconds, you hope to be the right way up when you are able to see again, because the explosion often throws the fighter about, and some times turns it upside down.
One bomb that I have tacked caught fire, and started to dive onto a lighted aerodrome. I closed in behind and opened fire at about 100 yds giving it a long burst with my cannons, the bomb blew up much to the relief of the flying control officer who was watching it on the aerodrome. Fragments of the bomb were blown into my aircraft and one went into the air intake, jamming the throttle, which was almost wide open. I went home at full speed weather I liked it or not fortunately I managed to get down safely."
The Tempest by Øyvind Meisfjord
This song "The Tempest" is written by Øyvind Meisfjord from Norway. Follow the link below and download the song as a MP3 - file!
The song is performed by "LEGACY":
Øyvind Meisfjord - Guitar/Song
Per Even Robertstad - Keyboard/Bass
Jan Erik Andersen - Drums
The Tempest (3,3 MB)
Lyrics:
When time ran out for the German Reich late in 1944
the war torn skies of Europe were filled with a new and mighty roar.
It roamed the air, so powerful, with a deep and grunting growl.
So German pilot: Watch out! Beware! The Tempest is on the prowl.
This aircraft was a pilots dream. It obeyed his every move.
A graceful, mean fighting machine, and so it was to prove.
It rolled, it dived, it raced the sky with overwhelming speed.
And its rockets, bombs and heavy guns would see the Germans bleed.
So Focke Wulfs and Messerschmitts watch out and guard your trail.
And woe the sorry Junker with a Tempest on its tail.
The London people faced again a change towards the worse.
They called upon the Tempest then, to help to fight the curse.
It was the vicious "Doodlebug", that poured all over town.
The Tempest chased the flying bombs and shot them to the ground.
So Focke Wulfs and Messerschmitts watch out and guard your trail.
And woe the sorry Junker with a Tempest on its tail.
It strafed the trains and roads in France, the Germans fled in fear.
They saw no hope, they had no chance, with the Tempest in the air.
And when the Me 262 was thrown into the game, the Tempest took the challenge up, and lived up to its name.
So Focke Wulfs and Messerschmitts watch out and guard your trail.
And woe the sorry Junker with a Tempest on its tail.
The mighty Napier Sabre engine bellowed out its roar.
So give a hail and cheer the greatest fighter of the war.
Sources:
Tom Patterson
Graham Berry
Øyvind Meisfjord