Poems

[pete edwards]

Just came across this in a charity shop,

Having been honoured for deeds of high daring
Having won glory and fame-
To a quite little house in a sleeply little village
Back from air he came
Home from the air he came
Home from the air to his corner of England
Deep in a peaceful vale
Where men talked of cabbage,cattle and corn
And nobody knew his tale
Until his grandchildren requested his story
And the memories were again reborn with glory

Greatest admiration, George and Pam Howells

any ideas as to to above mentioned would would be nice,

Pete

[WhiskyMac]

No ideas, but what an unbelievably beautiful poem .......

    

[Rosinish]

Lovely poem!

Are there any clues as to where/when?

What was it written on, was it in a frame, any markings etc?


Annie

ADDED, What area was the shop?

[Rosinish]

There's a marriage for a couple in Tonbridge, Kent, 1952 with those names although he has 2 middle initials as does she have a middle initial.

Qtr 4
Year 1952
County Kent
Country England
Volume 5B
Page 1573

Annie

[Rosinish]

A Death for George T F Howell 1966, Uckfield, Sussex, same name as on marriage.

Annie

[jbml]

"Having been honoured for deeds of high daring" suggests a military decoration - and not just a campaign medal or three, but one for gallantry.

"Having won glory and fame" suggests his exploits were well known at the time.

"Back from the he came", and "Home from the air he came" ... repeating the connection with the air ... tells us he was a flyer.

So we're probably looking at somebody who was a decorated pilot ... DFC most likely ... but when? First or Second World War?

And were the Howells related, or just friends?

I suspect that this one will remain elusive ... but you never know ...

[philipsearching]

Sherlock Philip says:
A flyer, but not necessarily a pilot (could have been bomber crew).
With grandchildren - so probably over 50.
Probably not a close relative of George & Pam as they added their surname - more likely to be a friend.
"Honoured" suggests he was awarded more than service medals.
If Annie has identified George this puts the poem between 1952 and 1966.
If Annie has identified George this suggests the flyer was probably living in Kent or Sussex.
The flyer would have been born after c1880 (to be flying in WW1) and before 1920 (for grandchildren to be old enough to hear stories in 1966).


My gut feeling is that the man was flying in WW2 and that the poem is an epitaph.  Unless someone finds Pam Howell we may never know the identity of the flyer, but I think we can all agree that the poem is a lovely tribute.