Arthur Mace's poems
Title
Arthur Mace's poems
Description
An exercise book of poems written by Arthur.
Titles include: 'Spring', 'Eddie' (about a missing friend), My Photograph' and 'Yearning'.
Titles include: 'Spring', 'Eddie' (about a missing friend), My Photograph' and 'Yearning'.
Creator
Coverage
Language
Format
16 page booklet with handwritten annotations
Publisher
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
Identifier
MMaceHA1295485-190314-03
Transcription
EXERCISE BOOK
RULED - FEINT - LINES
Name H.A. Mace,
34 BOLLINGBROKER ROAD
WEST KENSINGTON
LONDON. W.1.
[page break]
[map of British Isles]
[page break]
Spring
The voice of Spring is calling,
Over hill and dale,
Snow and sleet, no longer falling,
The wild winds no longer wail.
The country-side is awakening,
The birds are on the wing,
Squirrels, their Winter homes forsaking,
Frolic, whilst the Skylark sings.
Could e'er one see a more beautiful sight,
Than the lambs across the lee,
As they frisk and play, to their hearts delight,
Of cares and troubles they seem so free.
Along the winding lane, towards the wood, I wander,
To indulge in a vision of glory,
I sit me down to ponder,
Why, for mankinds fame, Natures' beauty destroy?
H.A. MACE
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
[underlined] EDDIE [/underlined]
We met first of all at O.T.U.,
Where we trained for "ops" together,
Eddie, rear-gunner of a first class crew
And I, "wireless-op" of another.
He was a gay and carefree old pal,
And seemed forever in trouble,
If not on the spree, then out with a "gal,"
Or running from one at "the double."
Christmas came, with no sign of leave,
He said "Maybe its our last,"
Knowing full well, though hard to believe,
His words may come true, perhaps very fast.
On Christmas Eve we went out on the spree,
And Eddie, while "tight", got engaged
To a "waaf," who next day, as was quite plain to see,
Remained true to her promise, while he just looked dazed.
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
[underlined] EDDIE [/underlined]
Somehow we got Eddie out of disgrace,
And set him “on course” Straight and true,
And he vowed, with shame stamped on his face,
That never again a “Waaf” would he woo.
At last came the day for our training to cease,
We were ready for “ops.” and a crack at the Hun,
To fly and fight, and to help win that peace
We had known before war, and the use of a gun.
On Coastal Command we did six “ops” each
On daylight patrols in a “Whitley” o’er sea,
To go and sink “subs” which were trying to reach
Our fine Merchant Seamen, who once sailed so free.
From there we went to “conversion” together,
To train on “heavies”, and fly over land
Taken by Nazis, who once and for ever
Were due to be conquered, while we lent a hand.
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
[underlined] "EDDIE" [/underlined]
First we struck Dortmund a beautiful bang,
Düsseldorf followed and went up in flames,
Eddie and I were just "getting the hang"
And both felt more sure of ourselves in the game.
Again we went over, this time to Essen,
That city where Krupps made their weapons of war
We dropped a good load, and taught them a lesson,
Which they would remember, perhaps evermore.
Upon landing at base I learned my old pal,
Had failed to return, but hope had not gone
For perhaps they had landed, quite safe and well,
At some other 'drone, with their job well done.
The hours dragged by with no sound of their "kite",
It seemed luck had changed for you, old pal,
But never mind, Eddie, some was paid back next night,
For we went out once more, and bombed Wuppertal.
H.A. Mace
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
MY PHOTOGRAPH
It is the picture of a lovely lady,
With smiling lips and soft blue eyes
Whose tender words upon my ears
Have given me courage through war-torn skies.
In the fading light of a summer evening,
And in my room on a rough winter night,
I have gazed on that photograph, strongly believing
That soon I'll be back, having won the great fight.
As we've winged our way through the enemy's shells,
And fought and dodged deadly fighters,
We have dived, it seemed, through the depths of Hell,
While the searchlights never seemed brighter.
But my picture is there of a lady so dear,
With smiling lips and soft blue eyes,
Whose tender words upon my ear
Have given me courage through war-torn skies.
H.A. Mace
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
YEARNING
Beloved, how I yearn for thee
As evening shadows fall,
And even with the whispering breeze
I seem to hear thee call.
The song of birds, no longer gay,
Seems filled with notes of sadness,
My heart, like songs of birds today,
No longer filled with gladness.
But one day, dearest, maybe soon,
Once more we'll be together,
No more sadness, parting, gloom,
Just you and I forever.
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
[mathmatical tables]
[page break]
[back cover of exercise book "DANGER DON'TS"]
RULED - FEINT - LINES
Name H.A. Mace,
34 BOLLINGBROKER ROAD
WEST KENSINGTON
LONDON. W.1.
[page break]
[map of British Isles]
[page break]
Spring
The voice of Spring is calling,
Over hill and dale,
Snow and sleet, no longer falling,
The wild winds no longer wail.
The country-side is awakening,
The birds are on the wing,
Squirrels, their Winter homes forsaking,
Frolic, whilst the Skylark sings.
Could e'er one see a more beautiful sight,
Than the lambs across the lee,
As they frisk and play, to their hearts delight,
Of cares and troubles they seem so free.
Along the winding lane, towards the wood, I wander,
To indulge in a vision of glory,
I sit me down to ponder,
Why, for mankinds fame, Natures' beauty destroy?
H.A. MACE
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
[underlined] EDDIE [/underlined]
We met first of all at O.T.U.,
Where we trained for "ops" together,
Eddie, rear-gunner of a first class crew
And I, "wireless-op" of another.
He was a gay and carefree old pal,
And seemed forever in trouble,
If not on the spree, then out with a "gal,"
Or running from one at "the double."
Christmas came, with no sign of leave,
He said "Maybe its our last,"
Knowing full well, though hard to believe,
His words may come true, perhaps very fast.
On Christmas Eve we went out on the spree,
And Eddie, while "tight", got engaged
To a "waaf," who next day, as was quite plain to see,
Remained true to her promise, while he just looked dazed.
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
[underlined] EDDIE [/underlined]
Somehow we got Eddie out of disgrace,
And set him “on course” Straight and true,
And he vowed, with shame stamped on his face,
That never again a “Waaf” would he woo.
At last came the day for our training to cease,
We were ready for “ops.” and a crack at the Hun,
To fly and fight, and to help win that peace
We had known before war, and the use of a gun.
On Coastal Command we did six “ops” each
On daylight patrols in a “Whitley” o’er sea,
To go and sink “subs” which were trying to reach
Our fine Merchant Seamen, who once sailed so free.
From there we went to “conversion” together,
To train on “heavies”, and fly over land
Taken by Nazis, who once and for ever
Were due to be conquered, while we lent a hand.
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
[underlined] "EDDIE" [/underlined]
First we struck Dortmund a beautiful bang,
Düsseldorf followed and went up in flames,
Eddie and I were just "getting the hang"
And both felt more sure of ourselves in the game.
Again we went over, this time to Essen,
That city where Krupps made their weapons of war
We dropped a good load, and taught them a lesson,
Which they would remember, perhaps evermore.
Upon landing at base I learned my old pal,
Had failed to return, but hope had not gone
For perhaps they had landed, quite safe and well,
At some other 'drone, with their job well done.
The hours dragged by with no sound of their "kite",
It seemed luck had changed for you, old pal,
But never mind, Eddie, some was paid back next night,
For we went out once more, and bombed Wuppertal.
H.A. Mace
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
MY PHOTOGRAPH
It is the picture of a lovely lady,
With smiling lips and soft blue eyes
Whose tender words upon my ears
Have given me courage through war-torn skies.
In the fading light of a summer evening,
And in my room on a rough winter night,
I have gazed on that photograph, strongly believing
That soon I'll be back, having won the great fight.
As we've winged our way through the enemy's shells,
And fought and dodged deadly fighters,
We have dived, it seemed, through the depths of Hell,
While the searchlights never seemed brighter.
But my picture is there of a lady so dear,
With smiling lips and soft blue eyes,
Whose tender words upon my ear
Have given me courage through war-torn skies.
H.A. Mace
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
YEARNING
Beloved, how I yearn for thee
As evening shadows fall,
And even with the whispering breeze
I seem to hear thee call.
The song of birds, no longer gay,
Seems filled with notes of sadness,
My heart, like songs of birds today,
No longer filled with gladness.
But one day, dearest, maybe soon,
Once more we'll be together,
No more sadness, parting, gloom,
Just you and I forever.
[page break]
[blank page]
[page break]
[mathmatical tables]
[page break]
[back cover of exercise book "DANGER DON'TS"]
Collection
Citation
Arthur Mace, “Arthur Mace's poems,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed March 26, 2025, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/49390.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.