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Forgotten Heroes
I have been making patchwork quilts for over 20 years, enjoying the fabric exploring colour and design until the quilt is finally complete. My latest wall quilt “Forgotten Heroes” has been an amazing emotional experience with many months and countless hours in planning and constructing the quilt. I have made this quilt to honor the men who served in Vietnam with my husband John but also to acknowledge the amazingly heroic acts by many men on that fateful day – 21st May 1970. I am hoping that many Vietnam Veterans see the quilt, enjoy the visual experience, but also gain some healing through the knowledge that their actions were not in vain. More importantly, I hope the general public will come to realize that these young men were very proud Australians who fought a hidden enemy. Unfortunately they have had to fight a harder fight on Australian soil, to gain the recognition they justly deserve. I wish to also acknowledge the amazing women who have supported and encouraged their partners in difficult times. “Forgotten
Heroes” The quilt is a series of photographs printed onto fabric. I have used the regimental motto “Through the mud, the blood to the green fields beyond” with the regimental colors brown, red and green used on the quilt top. Images of Vietnam are framed in brown fabric. I am hoping that any Vietnam Veteran who looks at the images will be able to recognize familiar scenes- jungle, ocean, The Horseshoe, The Long Hai Hills, Grand Hotel, Rubber Plantation, village scenes etc. Photographs surrounded by red symbolize the day John was wounded. There is a “dust off” (not John’s dust off). The photograph of the John’s tank shows the area where the RPG penetrated the tank. A photograph taken several hours after the contact shows the infantry and tank track marks. The newspaper article from the SA paper describing the incident. The first telegram received by John’s parents from Army Headquarters. The diary entry from Barry Chambers and the Red Cross identification card from the American Hospital in Long Bin are also framed in red fabric. There is a small photograph of John with his parents taken on the last day John was in Adelaide. After 32 years the men finally meet again and these photographs taken in October 2002 and January 2003 are surrounded in green. I have placed a small note on the green fabric “
On the 21st May 1970 lives were changed forever. The front of the quilt also features service ribbons, the Armoured Corps cloth badge, the “Australia” and “Rising Sun” badges which are from John’s uniforms. The 1st Armoured Regiment badge is also on the quilt but this is not the original. The back of the quilt has call up papers, discharge papers and the original document the Army Major brought to John’s parents home when they were informed of John’s condition. The additional printed material is what I have written about the experience of meeting Barry Chambers and the impact his actions on the 21st May have had. The center panel is a map of Vietnam with major towns and Fire Support Bases noted. The map is framed in purple fabric and on this is a series of definitions both words and statements which are relevant to the era. Statistics, the number of men who served, wounded, died or MIA are also noted. I have also entered the service numbers of all men who were in the 3 tanks on the 21st May. For those men whom I have been able to contact their names are noted. Click here to read the narrative that I wrote, which is also on the back of the quilt. |
