Billy Bishop Goes to War Trivia Quiz

Answer: John Gray and Eric Peterson

In his preface to the 1981 printed edition of the play, John Gray describes how he and Eric Peterson were working with Theatre Passe Muraille in Ottawa in 1976, when Peterson brought him a copy of Bishop's book "Winged Warfare", written when Bishop was 21 years old and a fighter pilot in the Royal Flying Corps (which merged with the Royal Naval Air Service in 1918 to become the Royal Air Force). Gray and Peterson put their heads together, did a lot of historical research, wrote some songs and first performed their play in Vancouver in November 1978.

John Gray is better known as a composer and musician than as an actor. His role in "Billy Bishop..." is as the Piano Player and Narrator. He also sings.

Eric Peterson is a well-known actor on Canadian TV, appearing as a regular in "Street Legal" (1987-94); "Corner Gas" (2004-09) and lending his voice to the animated reboot of the latter (2018-21), as well as numerous guest appearances in other series. He plays Billy and approximately seventeen other characters in the play. Butt and Ewanuick are two of his co-stars in both versions of "Corner Gas".

Answer: It is his hometown.

Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada is a small city on an inlet of Georgian Bay (which is part of Lake Huron) that had a population of about 12,000 at the beginning of World War I. Billy mentions his small town roots in contrast to the high society that he finds himself part of after he's had some success as a pilot, and especially late in the play when he meets King George V, who pins some medals on Billy's chest, including the Victoria Cross.

Billy's home in Owen Sound has been turned into a museum, which I had the pleasure of visiting a few years ago. He is also buried in his hometown, having died in Florida in 1956, aged 62.

Answer: "Like a sabre in the sun."

Bishop and the Piano Player sing this song together, to open the play, and it has the feeling of a song sung by a group of kids setting out on a great adventure. A recurring line is "Somehow it didn't seem like war at all, at all, at all. Somehow it didn't seem like war at all." That sentiment is changed fairly early on, even before the front is reached, mostly due to a horrific ocean crossing on a cattle boat full of seasick soldiers and horses, because at this point Billy Bishop is a cavalry officer, destined for futile cavalry charges against machine guns.

The song doesn't use the word "German", but a less PC word that rhymes with "sun" and "gun".

Answer: False

Although it is his ambition to become a fighter pilot right away, at his interview Bishop is told that they have enough pilots at the moment and what they really need is observers: "You know, the fellow who goes along for the ride, looks about." He wants to fly, so he agrees, and arrives in France as an observer in January 1916. He is not satisfied with the situation, and writes letters to his sweetheart Margaret, bemoaning his lot. As if to confirm that Billy is homesick, the Piano Player sings:

"Nobody shoots no one in Canada,
At least nobody they don't know.
...
Take me under
That big blue sky,
...
Wish I was in Canada today."

Instead, Bishop ends up in hospital in England, after his pilot makes a heavy landing. Whilst there he's taken under the wing of Lady St Helier, who knew his father, and who expedites his acceptance for pilot training. He sings, "Flying Canadian, machine gun in my hand..." and manages to survive his first solo flight, and is soon back in France as a pilot.

Answer: He spends the night in a British trench, having suffered engine failure.

In a long monologue, complete with sound effects, Billy describes that first victory. Suddenly he realises that his engine has stopped, possibly flooded by oil when he dived after his prey. He lands in no-mans-land and is happy to hear English being spoken in the nearest trench. He is not able to take off again until morning. The act ends with Billy and the Piano Player singing a song that has stuck in my head since I saw the play performed at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto in 1982.

"Oh, the bloody earth is littered
With the fighters and the quitters."

It goes on to speak of the soldiers on the ground yearning to fly, as Billy had done, and of the dance that opposing pilots perform together "in the sky".

Answer: In his lung

This song is a variation of a traditional ditty popular in both World Wars, in which the poor airman is giving instructions to the mechanics so they can find all of the bits and pieces necessary to put the engine back together so it can be used again. It's the joystick clinging to his fingers, the cylinders in his kidneys and the crankshaft in the small of his back.

Its inclusion here is a reflection of the fatalistic attitude of many fighter pilots at this point of the war, when the life expectancy of a new pilot was less than two weeks. Bishop reflects on survival, and the best way to ensure that you survive and your enemy doesn't. As the lovely Helene (a chanteuse) he sings a rather cynical song about patriotism, survival and keeping one's emotions under control. He notes that his flying skills are nothing compared to (Albert) Ball (VC) or (William) Barker (VC), but his shooting makes up for that.

Answer: Like a Robert Service poem

British-born, claimed by Canada and known as the Bard of the Yukon, or the Canadian Kipling, Robert Service is known for poems that lend themselves to being read or recited with a certain cadence. They include "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" and "The Cremation of Sam McGee". It can be seen by the title that "The Dying of Albert Ball" is meant to emulate these ballads. It is lengthy (some 14 stanzas) and has the recurring lines:

"But the British like their heroes
Cold and dead, or so it seems,
And their hero in the sky was Albert Ball."

By the end, Bishop is convinced that he will replace Ball, both as top scoring ace, and as a dead hero.

When I saw this performed in Toronto in 1982, a larger than life photo of Ball, standing in front of his aircraft and looking impossibly young was projected on the backdrop behind Peterson, as Bishop, as he recited the piece. It's a well-known photo in certain circles (I've seen it in many books about VC recipients or WWI flyers). He looks so young because he was only 20 when he died. I was somewhat disappointed to find that the LP record that I purchased in the theatre lobby after the performance did not include "The Dying of Albert Ball". As it was not sung, I suppose that is why.

Answer: "How young we were back then."

"One thing's for sure,
We'll never be that young again.
We were daring young men,
With hearts of gold,
And most of us never got old."

This is another song whose lyrics I have never forgotten, and which still has the power to bring tears to my eyes, even as I write. By this time the war definitely seems like war, and Bishop runs through a list of squadron mates who have not survived to grow old.

Answer: Albert Ball suggested they do it together.

Before his death, Ball had suggested to Bishop that two daring pilots (Ball and Bishop, of course) could conduct a raid on a certain German airfield, deep in enemy territory, and destroy many aircraft as they took off to engage the raiders. To Bishop's query "How do we get out?" Ball responds that it was a grand gesture and getting out wasn't a consideration. Nevertheless, Bishop decides to go ahead on his own, causing a lot of damage to the Germans and somehow makes it home. He ends the war with 72 confirmed victories, the Victoria Cross, Distinguished Service Order and bar, Distinguished Flying Cross, Military Cross and some other bits and bobs.

After his meeting with the King (in the play) the action moves on, and our players sing about "The Empire Soiree" which speaks of the "dance of history" and hints at future conflict.

Answer: World War II has begun.

The play, as published in 1981, has Billy giving a rousing recruiting speech in 1941, and speaking of how proud he and Margaret are of their son, now a pilot, and daughter, also in uniform. Billy himself is now a senior officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and still has fifteen years to live.

The 2010 TV version, which I re-watched before writing this quiz, made a few changes. The most obvious is that both Billy and the Piano Player are now portrayed as old men, instead of youngsters in RFC uniform. Billy plays the entire show in pyjamas, sometimes donning a uniform jacket or other costumes. The obvious reason for this is that Gray and Peterson were, by then, both 64 years old.

The ending is also changed a bit, but quite effectively. Instead of stressing the onset of WWII the speech is more general. Throughout the production, it can be seen that the players are playing to an empty house, that is, until the end. As the final speech and song are performed, the camera pans to an audience of older veterans in Legion blazers, and young servicemen in uniform, some of whom were very likely veterans of Afghanistan.