Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force. . , During a time of dire peril that threatened the existence of Britain and the civilized world, these young Britishers died in aerial pilot training accidents in the skies and fields of Southwest Georgia while based at Darr Aero Tech and Turner Field, both of which were military pilot training bases located south and east of Albany. , In 1941-1943 thousands of young RAF aviation cadets were stationed at Albany and many were befriended in Albany and area homes, churches, clubs and businesses. During their time at these bases they were training to become combat aircraft pilots in order to defend our world from the forces of evil that strived mightily to destroy it. , The sacrifice of these who rest here is in no way diminished because they perished away from the skies of deadly combat. , This memorial is erected by citizens of Albany and the area in honor of all British cadets who trained in America and in special memory of the young men buried here, far from home in “some corner of a foreign field that is forever England…” , Erected 1991 , Site for monument and graves provided by , Walter H. Burt Post 30, The American Legion. , High Flight , Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, , And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; , Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth , Of sun-split clouds , and done a hundred things , You have not dreamed of , wheeled and soared and swung , High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there , I’ve chased the shouting wind along and flung , My eager craft through footless halls of air., Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue , I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace, , Where never lark, or even eagle flew. , And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod , The high untrespassed sanctity of space, , Put out my hand, and touched the face of God., , John Gillespie Magee, Jr. , Royal Canadian Air Force , 1922-1941