What led you to give Kevin your father’s war medals?

Transcribed with AI, there may be mistakes.

The medals were from my adoptive father - that dear man who brought me up. He fought in WWI as a Third Pioneer, he was a plumber by trade. The trademen were put to the front - they were the first to March into a town after it had been taken over. A plumber needs to put the water on for the troops coming behind, so they were the first people in there with snipers firing at them, killing them while they’re trying to put the taps on for the troops. He got elevated in the field for bravery.

I wanted to give the medals to Kevin because he was in Vietnam. It was hard for him, you know. They were spat on when they left here, they were spat on when they came back by the protesters. He’s a very sensitive sort of boy. He didn’t want to go - he was dragged. It took a long time, but he gradually worked out that he’s proud now, because it’s all turned around the other way.

I always wanted to give my father’s medals to Kevin. I thought better to give them now while I’m still alive. And what better time to do it while he was here, not expecting anything.

When I gave him the medals, oh, that was very, very moving. We both cried on each other’s shoulders. He poured out of his mouth with the words about how badly Jack treated him, and it was so true. And I said to him, “I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to love you like a mother through it. It was horrible there. He was horrible.” We just sobbed our hearts out for a few minutes and then we straightened up again and we were OK.

in’s got a blazer and he’s got medals of his own now. He’s going to come down to Melbourne for the Vietnam anniversary. He’s going to take the medals and get them mounted properly.

He’s got the gold card now - gets everything free. He wasn’t gonna go for that at first. Margaret’s the same with the pension. I told her “Margaret, you’ve worked hard all your life, you’re entitled to it.”

There’s more depth to Kevin than you think. Straight away everything came back about how his father was horrible to him. Now he can go and March and be proud - da da da da da!