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Poetry of Direct Personal Experience
Our Collection of Aviation and Military Poetry

Corner of an Englishshire
Frank H. Ziegler

Here in a corner of an Englishshire

Far from the home land that he fought to save,

A Belgian pilot sleeps, who dying gift

His hall, for all of England to admire.

Here was a warrior of the lonely sky

Modest and brave, outstanding for his race,

Who winged the outer air with swallow's grace.


To us it hardly seemed that he could die.

And many friends who loved him and who live

Live thanks to him - his was the magic touch

That plucked them from the death he scorned so much,

And like a shepherd homed them. Do not grieve

If you shouldering pass this way in the next years -

His was a life that shone too bright for tears.


Frank H. Ziegler, the intelligence officer of 609 Squadron, wrote this epitaph for Fl/Lt. Jean Offenberg.

Fl/Lt. Jean Offenberg DFC was killed on the 22nd January 1942 in a training accident.

Offenberg

Offenberg Spitfire

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 • Last Modified: 10 September 2020, 13:56