© Eddie Budgen

For the 548/549 squadron reunion and memorial service held at Petrie in April 1998

There’s a hole in the ground.You can see it still there.
the ghost of a pilot, my soul it can feel.

As a kid I remember and still see the time
My heroes on high, they were based at Strathpine.

All Brisbane looked skyward at the pencils of light
as they shone through the clouds on the darkest of night.

Those airmen towed drogues, as their lightnings they spun
And their Spitfires they fine-tuned, to defend us they’d come

There was Squadron Leader Wright in 44
he went up with three spits to check out their score.

High over pine rivers from out of the sun
came Sergeant Chandler.He had Wright on the run

Two trails of smoke then a terrible sound
We salute, as we watch you both fall to the ground

Now my feelings run deep with a platypus sleep
as I sit here alone beside Sidling Creek.