Stephen Tonkin, remembered by his friends
Memories of Stephen Tonkin
Twenty five years since I last saw you in person
I see you every day in my thoughts
Sometimes the memory makes me smile
Sometimes it makes me sad
My own milestones
And I think of what you’ve missed
My marriage and my children made me think
You’d have made a loving husband and a great dad
Your milestone birthdays pass by uncelebrated
Distant memories of our childhood together
Sometimes they seem so long ago
Sometimes they seem like yesterday
Your birthday, when your present was a dalek suit
I wasn’t impressed, I was afraid of Doctor Who
I would hide behind the settee when it was on
And here at your party you were dressed up as my worst nightmare or so it seemed at the time
Little did I know that my worse nightmare would be losing you
Enjoying playing at doctors and nurses together
And not understanding why we were being told off
When your dad caught us
Me in labour
You delivering the doll stuffed up my jumper
Taking me to find the best conkers
Every Autumn I still think of you when I see conkers scattered on the ground
I like to hold them in my hand
Rub my thumb over the smooth shell and I miss you
You teaching me to swim
We spent hours in the local pool
Playing at underwater adventures
You were The Man from Atlantis
I was The Little Mermaid
I start Secondary School
You’re in the year above
You look after me
You tease me in front of your mates but I don’t mind, I love my big cousin
You make me laugh with your jokes about the school dinners
Discos at the Civic Centre
You dance like Michael Jackson
You dress like Michael Jackson
You have the white socks
You have the short trousers
You have the sleeves pushed up
And the white leather tie
You are so cool
You dance with your younger sister
You’re both amazing
Living room furniture pushed back
Hours spent practising your moves
You’re in the Royal Navy
I’m so proud of you
You look like a man in your uniform
But then it’s the Falklands Conflict
I’m confused
Where is the Falklands?
Where is our Stephen going?
You send letters
You’re scared
You write like a boy in your uniform
You’re supposed to go on the HMS Sheffield
You’re transferred to another ship
The HMS Sheffield is bombed and I am thankful
God is watching over you, it isn’t your time to die
At work a man is listening to the news on the radio
The HMS Coventry has been hit he says matter of factly
There are sailors missing, presumed killed in action
Stephen Tonkin, God has decided that now it is your time!
Contributing to the Garden of Remembrance
© South Atlantic Medal Association 82
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