大象传媒

MV Empire Earl Tilbury Docks June+1944
Ernie Dibb /Radio Officer, MN,UK
Trip to Normandy, Gold Beach
We sailed from Tilbury with music blareing,trumpets blowing, ship to shore
with greetings, as down the Thames we slowly wend, that summers eve, towards what end?

We knew not what!.To strive endure.As we left our homeland shore
Each man alone with thoughts ,the cowards,the brave, the quiet,the noisy,
each his character exposed, in this testing time for those of us who to danger went.
Trusting machinery for this event .
In growing light we slowly went towards that land freedom bent to release those people
in bondage held

The debt was payed by young men many,from the nations they did spring ,to live ,to die,
to strive, to bring the many plans laid down before, to bring, a end to war ,this awful thing

The bodies floated slowly by as each with sorrow we did spy,in our hearts wondering why?
upon this world humans did bring, such sufferings,such wanderings,as through Europe the
throngs did step each to his own Kismet
The flash was great !a waterspout i spied,as out to port seamen died, on
the tide parts of men floated by to rest upon a foreign shore, their duty done ,the sands to hide mans inhumanity to man.

I sipped my tea i ate my cake,inside i almost cried,but with shipmates by my side
no anguish did we show ,but wished to hide, lest we be next upon the tide
Another blast another morn many widows that day were born, a ship sank slowly against the riseing sun, suddenly a blast !a battle ship from its muzzel's spewed a shell to tear apart some mothers son.
I have seen so much of war in many years before on many seas and sunlight shores.,
in fog,in ice,we did endure as ship mates died with never a trace,the seas to hide,the resting place of many a boy who joined the race to secure a berth in this heavenly place

The sea which all lands do embrace

Ernie Dibb 3rd R/O Mv"Empire Earl"written in English Channel homeward bound
June.July 1944

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