BUDDING poet Jodie Johnson was so moved by television coverage of the deeds of Britain's second world war heroes she penned her own tributes to them - even though the war ended 40 years before she was born!

The precocious 11-year-old from North Ashton, was first featured in the Star two years ago when she wrote '50 Years Late' after watching the commemoration of the D-Day Normandy Landings of 1944.

Since then, she has travelled up and down the country to meet some of those brave men who landed on the beaches and recently wrote her second war poem, 'Who Are These Men?' in which she pays tribute to their courage.

Jodie, who is in her final year at Rectory Primary School, Garswood, said: "I have been writing poetry for about three years now and when I watched the programmes for the 50th anniversary of D-Day, I felt that I should do something to say thank-you to all those men. My own great-grandad, William Wilcox was involved in the landings and was killed in August, 1944, so I felt I should pay tribute to him as well."

Since first writing '50 Years Late', Jodie has travelled to Bristol, Leeds and, most recently, Aldershot, to meet war veterans and has made hundreds of new friends whom she regularly writes to. One of her most memorable moments was when she met Major John Howard, who was responsible for piloting the first RAF glider across the Channel to France.

"It was really a honour to meet Major Howard and I was fascinated by all the stories he told me. I never thought I would get to meet someone so famous."

Jodie moves to Byrchall High School, Ashton, in September but she is already planning her future career. She said: "I want to join the army after I leave school and write poetry while I am there."

THIS is the poem Jodie penned:

50 YEARS LATE - In honour of the men of D-Day 1944

I am only a child,

And it's hard to explain,

The feelings I have,

As I sit in the rain,

And think of the men,

Who went off to war,

Knowing they would not

come home anymore.

I cannot say thank you,

To the men left in France,

Who laid down their lives,

To give me a chance,

I cannot say thank you,

To the ones who returned,

For thank you is not

What these brave men earned.

I owe them my life,

As I live it today,

A life lived in freedom

Because of that day.

I owe them much more,

Than I can ever repay,

I owe them the lives,

that they gave up that day.

They will live in my heart

for as long as I live,

And my children will learn

Of that gift that they give.

By Jodie Johnson (aged11)

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