The 'Poet Laureate' of our 13th MOBI Intake Chippies, Greg 'Shang' Moffitt,
has penned this tribute to his Dampier Division mate, fellow Chippy, Frank Eastwell... “No Body Answers”... For Frank Old faces are now wrinkled, winters frost tints the thinning hair
Old bodies stooped and bent where once there was
‘dash’ and
‘dare’The toll of fifty plus years, is paid with a physical price
There’s been good luck and there’s been bad with every throw of the dice
With each Call of the Roll the numbers will decrease
As time goes by the
‘Absent’ rate will surely only increase
When they pipe
'All Hands’ one name will be called with a tear
“I have to report Sir with sadness - Eastwell isn’t here”.For now when the Roll is called, it will never be the same
Because no one will answer when they call
Frank Eastwell’s name
Memories they are some comfort from those years we shared
And I smile a little when I think how you always
‘Cared’You were a big part of my life in those happy go lucky teen years
The wine, the laughs, the Footy, Old Dampier a thousand bloody beers
A brother would not be closer or been a better mate
If only like a late cheque our youth we could just
‘backdate’If I find myself on any day, feeling sorry for my worldly lot
I’ll remember how precious life is
Frank and give it a genuine shot
When I wake up each morning I’ll take a second to touch the sun
The little things are what life is Frank, like when you and me just had fun.
A time of sadness has come to my world today
But with it comes resolution to make life better some way
It’s sad that in our mixed up world we need an event so sad
To make us realise what’s important and be thankful of the time we had.
There’s a new empty file now when we muster for the call
I guess over time there’s an empty file there waiting for us all
I say it now old cobber-and I think I have agreement in the rank
No blank file will be harder to fill than yours will be Frank.
So no one will answer Frank when they shout out your name
Loved ones will hear your answer, perhaps in the wind and rain
If destiny should turn out as some say for us all
Who knows?-I hope I am by your side for the last
‘Big Roll Call’.If we do fall in for that last parade I hope it’s where angels walk
May the parade commander have shiny wings and not a bloody pitch-fork!
..Seeya Mate... 'Til we meet again...
Shang...Shang Moffitt... 17th October 2014... “The Corpse sinks down... alone... alone
To its dark and watery grave
But the soul on lightened wing has flown
To a world beyond the wave...”Samuel Goodrich... Burial at Sea... 1823...
_________________
Rick Pengilly
WEBMASTER
Ex-CPOMTH3
R42630
13th MOBI Intake
July'62 to July'74
HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Melbourne - HMAS Cerberus - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Lonsdale - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Brisbane