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Sunderland N For Nuts

Sunderland N for Nuts 461 Squadron
Sunderland fought alone the Battle Of Biscay in.1943
Big old seaplane Sunderland, fought in the Battle Of Biscay
Had 4 engines, would she float, would German cannon make her pay?
Aussies put in belly guns, 2 old machine guns Vickers. fired only .303 bullets
Poms might laugh about this deed, the Germans didn't snicker 
Only 8 of these Ju88s attacked, to shoot a Sunderland down
Aussies cut the crutch out of German might, with the Vickers caused a frown
Sunderland like a Swiss cheese, had so many holes left in it
5 ju88s went into the sea, 3 ran for home that minute
Germans said it wore heavy armour plate 
And it fired a 37mil cannon?.....
Said bullets bounced off it mate?
Its death were still a planning
So she waddled back to the British coast 
And landed on the beach at Cornwall
Aussies got sausages, tea and toast 
Brave Sunderland then did fall
Don Johnson

Moral:Don't fight with the Aussies they might give you a touch up. 
  The fight by Sunderland N/461 against 8 JU88s on 2nd June1943.
One man died on the Sunderland Ted Miles a Lewis gunner, 
most of the men were injured. All 8 ju88s were hit by the Aussies.
When a fighter/bomber ju88 started firing the Sunderland went into a 
corkscrew move, to evade cannon shells each time,
 during the twenty attacks made on it.
Sunderland had been a pre war 4 engined sea plane, 
the current Jumbo Jet of its day.  The bullet riddled old warhorse carried
 them home to England.and broke up on the beach
http://www.australiansatwar.gov.au/stories/stories_war=W2_id=67.html
Friday 13th August in 1943 their luck ran out 6 more Ju88s attacked
 Sunderland DV968 eight of the earlier surviving Airmen 
from the deadly Nuts Flight disappeared
djohnson@scullywag.com

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Carol Sunshine Brown

Date: 8/23/2011 4:18:00 PM

I must tell you there have been so many diverse poems shared here at PoetrySoup yesterday and this morning that I am just now being able to read. Each one is a treasure to the poet who wrote it. It is a pleasure to me to be able to read them. I am so happy yours was among the ones I have read today Don. Love, Carol

Francine Roberts

Date: 8/23/2011 1:36:00 PM

love it, love these fascinating bits of history you share so poetically

Don Johnson
Date: 8/23/2011 6:34:00 PM

Love is sweet, and fresh as dew, incomplete,till i meet you. adeiu?

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 8/23/2011 12:45:00 AM

I laughed to read the part she looked like swiss cheese, what a great seaplane she must have been!!

Don Johnson
Date: 8/23/2011 4:02:00 AM

spose if ya have 8 german planes shooting at ya bullet holes everywhere:( the big old plane held together long enough to land on the beach , then collapsed...

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 8/23/2011 12:45:00 AM

and how brave the Aussies.

Don Johnson
Date: 8/23/2011 3:36:00 AM

millions of the brave died in world war two, sad business really...