Nedeweert

Nedeweert

Poem about an aircraft that crashed at Nederweert in the Netherlands. Handwritten note 'Joan's brother F/Lt Tommy Richardson was the skipper of the 78 Squadron RAF plane shot down at Nederweert near Eindhoven 3/4 April 1943 around midnight. Others of the crew friends of ours'.

One page printed document

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M78Sqn19361201-170421-12

NEDERWEERT

Was there a sunset, the night that you left us, over the sea?
Raiding the enemy deep in his homeland, daring so much for me
Third of April, forty-three,
It is just last night to me,
And that is how it will always be,
Though the rest of time moves on

O’er crashing all the forest
The giant wings lay spread
And there were those who blandly said,
That you were dead.

They did not say who found you
Or whether you were blessed,
Or whether you escaped a while
Or were gently laid to rest.
A family at Becton, they lost their only son
Their hope, their joy, their future gone
Only their love lives on.

There is a cross in Nederweert
Where honour does surround you,
I stood in silence with Dutch friends
And there I dreamed I found you.

[italics] Joan Bayley [/italics]

[inserted] Joans’ Brother
Fl/Lt. Tommy Richardson was the Skipper of the 78 Sqdn: RAF. ‘Plane shot down at Nederweert near Eindhoven 3rd/4th April 1943 around midnight, others of the crew friends of ours. [/inserted]