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. 4th April 2000

Three Cheers for the Man on the Ground.

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.