Sir Roderick Eddington

This was delivered at a media party to say farewell to the departing CEO of British Airways from whom Willie Walsh took over, Before heading back to Australia Sir Rod undertook a transport survey for the Government.  The poem was partly reproduced in the Sunday Times

'Sir Roderirck'

‘Twas his night before leaving
And down at BA
Trolley dollies were weeping
“Sir Roderick’s going away”

Tomorrow would be different
You could hear them all say
It’ll be “top of the morning”
Instead of  “G’day”

He came out of the Bush
In Seventy Four
And got honours at Oxford
Yes, I know, it’s a bore

He played cricket at Uni
That much is true
But was the only Aussie
They never called Blue

He then made Cathay
Efficient and sunny
He even joined Murdoch
He’d do anything for money

Then they bought him to England
As BA faced some grief
But he’s turned it around
To all our relief

He tinkered with systems
Until he got bored
So he got up one morning
And mothballed Concorde

What else has he done for us?
Well, I don’t mean to be rude
But before Sir Roderick joined
BA always served food

But the Queen said “Roderick,
For us you’ve been good
I’ll make you the first convict
To get a knighthood.”

And when he met John Prescott
A man not too bright
Sir Roderick said something
That set John’s eyes alight

“If you’re a Rhodes Scholar”
Said John, “here’s a thought
If you’re good on roads
You could help us with transport”

For once the press are united
For BA he’s been great
So as we say here in England
Good on you, Mate!

With a tear in their eye
They all watched him go
When they’d see him again
They just didn’t know

They’d shown him respect
For this man was their God
But now, bollocks - he can sit up the back
And we’ll all call him Rod

                         
                   Copyright Bob “the Cat” Bevan MBE 2005