Flight Sergeant John Arthur Buckman – Air Gunner
Memorial details: Australian War Memorial Commemorative Area location 119, Malta Memorial, Malta
Wellingtons
My cousin Jack aged four, flew
‘round the backyard,
arms extended gathering speed.
‘Not high enough,’ said he
and jumped from the chook pen
roof; crashlanded; both
wings damaged.
He flew again next day;
it was 1921.
He joined in ’39.
Left wife and babies three
to stand in line with pride
to fly once more.
A Wellington;
to put a spanner in the works of the Axis fleet.
Gunned down, his life hosed into the Mediterranean Sea.
Flight Sergeant John Arthur Buckman – Air Gunner
Memorial details: Australian War Memorial Commemorative Area location 119, Malta Memorial, Malta