大象传媒

A D-DAY MYSTERY
In the early summer of forty four
The time had come to even the score
From trains that stopped at mainline stations
Out burst troops from all free nations
To orders barked by NCO鈥檚
The men formed up in stately rows
They marched away these great young bucks
And climbed aboard the waiting trucks
Large guns and tanks all filled the roads
All travelling south in many modes
Some were small and some were large
Most were sporting camouflage
These movements we could understand
That the SECOND FRONT was near at hand!

I was a lad with all to gain
Travelling to school by railway train
I stayed at school quite late one day
It was around the middle of May
I climb to the platform all alone
To await the train to take me home
There was no-one there on either side
Waiting for that steamy ride
I sat a while in quiet mode
Then opposite on the platform strode
A soldier all in battle wear
With a pretty girl with long black hair
The shoulder chevrons gave his trade
A paratrooper ready made.

They sat a while in tight embraces
Sadness showed upon their faces
There was no doubt, she knew the score
Her sweetheart, he was off to war
Tell tale smoke from down the line
Told them now it was the time
For them to part till God knows when
Would they ever meet again?
The train approached, then face to face
They stood up in one last great embrace
A carriage door opened opposite me
The soldier entered hastily

Let down the window with little grace
To gaze once more at his darlings face
Her sorrow now she could not check
As her arms clung tightly round his neck
A whistle blew on that sad day
And her pretty arms just slid away.
When the train had gone she was still there
On a wooden seat all hard and bare
Hands covered her face that showed her fears
As she sat there in a pool of tears
A kindly porter in friendly tone
Said 鈥楧on鈥檛 worry love hell soon be 鈥榦me

Was that the case it鈥檚 the strangest thing
This mystery leaves me wondering.
Did he come home and wed his love
Did wedding bells ring from up above
Did they have children one. two, three
Was it a happy family
Did they like us with Christmas joys
Stuff pillow cases with many toys
And sneak upstairs with little said
And place them by their children鈥檚 bed
Did they awake on Christmas morn?
To hear those parcels being torn
By excited kids at some unearthly hour
With the moon still high by the old church tower

Grandchildren may have come their way
And sometimes they would come to stay
Bedtime stories they might want
Their favourite Grandad to recant
He knew some stories that is plain
But 鈥極h Grandad not the war again!
Was this the case I hope and pray.
Or did he fall on that fateful day
Or later on as the war grew grim
Was this conflict the end of him?
Is all that鈥檚 left for one and all?
A smiling picture on a wall
Is he forgotten forever more
Just a dog-eared photo in some bottom drawer.

When I awoke on the 6th June
To a very strange and rumbling tune
Of engines roaring way up high
There were many airplanes in the sky
Towing gliders by the nose
Where were they going goodness knows
Was he up there with blackened face?
Going to fight the Master Race
With arms linked tightly to mates around
To take the strain as they hit the ground
When the towrope parted from the plane
Did he think of her again?

Whether at work or whether at play
I think of that young man every day
My life been full of joyous roles
I鈥檝e done my thing and reached my goals.
At times I鈥檝e found life hard and mean
But joy has been there in between
Its down to him and many more
Young men and women by the score
Prepared to give their very all
To keep us free and walking tall
So thank you all for giving me
A life that鈥檚 full and fancy free.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.