Surprise gift leaves Aboriginal war veteran 'pleased as bloody punch'

Victor Bartley was presented a quilt for his service in the Australian Army. (Supplied: Kelly Lienesch) A veterans charity has awarded quilts to three Bourke residents. The handmade quilts are given to nominees from all over Australia. Anyone can make quilts or donate to them through Quilts of Valour Australia. Link copiedShareShare articleVictor Bartley returned from the Vietnam War in 1971, but had to wait 16 years to receive an official welcome home. Since then, the Wiradjuri man has received war medals and an OAM. But most recently, 55 years after returning home, he was recognised for his six years of service in the Australian Army with a handmade quilt. "I'm so proud. Pleased as bloody punch," Mr Bartley said. "It was such a surprise for someone to give me something with such meaning. "I'm not one to say I was a hero or anything like that in my service in Vietnam, but someone thought that I deserved to get something like that." From right: Jeff Askew, George Milovejevic and Victor Bartley in Vietnam. (Supplied) Mr Bartley was one of three veterans living in the western NSW town of Bourke who were given quilts from charity Quilts of Valour Australia. The quilts are designed to offer comfort and recognition of the sacrifice of Australian Defence Force personnel and the families who have lost loved ones in service. Anyone can nominate a veteran or serving ADF personnel to receive one. "My wife has put it on the lounge so anyone who comes to visit will see it," Mr Bartley said. Victor Bartley spent six years in the Australian Army. (Supplied) Mr Bartley was 20 when Aboriginal people were finally recognised as Australian citizens and had to lie about his Aboriginal heritage to get into the army, indicating his nationality was British. Laticia Hollman is a volunteer from Queensland who hand-delivered the pieces to western, NSW. "Every quilt is different — there's never one the same," she said. "We see everything from tears of joy to thanks, especially Vietnam veterans. They didn't get a very good response coming home and some of the vets when I have awarded them a quilt they are like, 'Wow, this is the only thanks I've ever had' and they are just overwhelmed." Victor Bartley (right), with Kevin Gascoigne at the 2018 Anzac Day march in Bourke. (Supplied) Mr Bartley said he has always tried to focus on the people who celebrated Vietnam veterans. "We appreciated the people who mattered," he said. "They appreciated that we went to serve our country overseas because our country sent us." Ms Hollman works with family members to create a surprise for each recipient. "A quilt is a powerful gift of love," she said. "When we are organising the delivery of the quilts, we try to do it so it's a secret, so we get a really good surprise response." Kelly Lienesch also received a quilt. (Supplied: Kelly Lienesch) Sheila Lowe also received a quilt on behalf of her late husband Keith's service, and former RAAF medic Kelly Lienesch was a recipient as well. Quilts of Valour Australia was started more than a decade ago following the loss and injury of Defence personnel in Afghanistan in 2010. "We have representatives of Quilts of Valour in every state in Australia," Ms Hollman said. "Anyone can make quilts or donate to them." The charity also operates in the US and Canada. Copy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)PromotionTop Stories'Probably hate me': Finally free and clean, Scott Miller opens upTopic:Swimming

Surprise gift leaves Aboriginal war veteran 'pleased as bloody punch'

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