THE latest anthology of wartime poetry collected by military historian Rod Priddle from Chirton is dedicated to the brave airmen who flew from Wiltshire air bases, many of who did not return.

Royalties from Now Fly the Shadows, the latest collection from the former Wiltshire fireman, will be going to the RAF Manston Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum.

Mr Priddle has put together a number of previous volumes of air force verse including On a Wing and Prayer, One Step to Heaven and Shades of Blue.

Now Fly the Shadows is the seventh collection of World War Two prose that he has published. He is also the author of an encyclopaedic book about World War Two airfields in Wiltshire.

His new book is available from Duck's newsagent in Devizes or from publishers Wilbek and Lewbar, 90 Victoria Road, Devizes.

The foreword is written by Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon, a patron of the Manston Spitfire and Hurricane collection.

He said: "There will not be too many more commemorative events such as the 60th anniversary of D-Day at which the presence of the veterans will enhance our understanding and appreciation of their sacrifices. Such is the toll of time.

"But through their poetry they will live on. And this anthology poignantly and tellingly brings together a wide cross section of memories and tributes that will give pleasure to many and be a reminder to all of the debt we owe."

Now Fly the Shadows contains almost 40 poems, mostly written by members of the Royal Air Force.

One, written by Frank Ziegler remembers a colleague Belgian pilot officer Jean Offenburg who flew with the RAF Voluntary Reserve and who won the Distinguished Flying Cross and Belgian Croix de Guerre but paid for his bravery with his life.

The first verse of the Epitaph to Flt Lt Offenburg reads:

"Here in the corner of an English shire,

Far from the homeland that he fought to save,

A Belgian pilot sleeps, who dying gave

His all, for all of England to admire."

The writers of the some of the verse are unknown as in the case of To Peter, Who Did Not Return whose last lines read:

"I was not with you on your last long flight,

Through what tempestuous skies, through that black night.

But I would wager all that you were gay,

And smiling as you waved the chocks away."