Anonymous British

Command of the Air

A thousand years between the sun and sea Britannia held her court of liberty, And cradled heroes in the questing waves That were for lesser men but wandering graves. Then did the British airman's sea-born skill Teach wood and metal to foresee his will; In every cog and joint his spirit stirred; The Thing possessed was man as well as bird. A falcon among timorous fowl he flies, And bears Britannia's battle to the skies; Vainly the Hun seeks covert in a cloud - The clinging mist is made his ghostly shroud. Thus at the ringing gates of heaven's glory Begin new chapters of our island-story, And clarion voices of the void declare: "She who has ruled the sea shall rule the air. " The only signatue applied to this poem is 'O' - all that is known  is that  'O' belonged to the British Armed forces during World War 1