Victor keeps Bourke’s Vietnam memories alive
- 28 minutes ago
- 1 min read
Story: Kristin Murdock and Rod Corfe
When Bourke Vietnam veteran Victor Bartley stands at Central Park next Tuesday, he will be there not only to remember those who never came home, but the many young men from the Bourke district who served in Vietnam.
Bourke’s Vietnam Veterans Day service will be held at Central Park at 11am on Tuesday, August 18, with Victor hoping residents and school representatives will join veterans in commemorating this service.
“There were 23 young blokes that went to Vietnam from the Bourke Shire,” Victor said. “Per capita, that large number of young blokes from a small population that we have is amazing. You don’t get those stats if you’re in a big city.”
“In my opinion, out here at the time we wanted to be doing something for our country.”
Victor’s own path to Vietnam was unusual.
When his national service papers arrived after he turned 19 in 1966, he ticked the box identifying himself as Aboriginal.
Several weeks later, he received a letter advising he was exempt from national service – news that delighted his mother, who had no desire to see her son sent to war.
A couple of years later, however, several younger mates were called up. The Aboriginal men among them had not ticked the same box. […]
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