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Three Cheers for the Man on the Ground.

“This piece, quite clearly written by an erk in ’42, is splendid. I wish I had written it!…It echoes my views and I’m sure all the CO’s of 609”

Wing Commander Roland Prosper Beamont, CBE DSO* DFC*DL, FRAeS, CdeG (Belge). 4^th April 2000

Wherever you walk, you will hear people talk,

Of the men who go up in the air.

Of the daredevil way they go into the fray;

Facing Death without turning a hair

They’ll raise a big cheer and buy lots of beer,

For a pilot who’s home on leave;

But they don’t give a jigger,

For a flight mech or rigger

With nothing but ‘props’ on his sleeve.

They just say ‘nice day’ and then turn away,

With never a mention of praise.

And the poor bloody erk who does all the work;

Just orders his own beer,

And pays!

They’ve never been told of the hours in the cold

That he spends sealing Germany’s fate.

How he works on a kite, till all hours of the night;

And then turns up next morning at eight.

He gets no rake-off for working till take-off,

Or helping the aircrew prepare;

But whenever there’s trouble, it’s ‘Quick at the double’

The man on the ground must be there.

Each flying crew could tell it to you;

They know what this man’s really worth.

They know he’s a part of the RAF heart

Even though he stays close to the earth.

He doesn’t want glory, but please tell his story;

Spread a little of his fame around.

He’s one of the few so give him his due;

Three cheers for the man on the ground.

E. Sykes. 1942.

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