By Jed Lanyon
An exhibition of portraits of Vietnam Veterans and their stories will add to Healesville RSL’s support for a healing garden at Healesville Hospital.
Behind the Wire is the culmination of a three-year project by Belgrave photographer and writer Susan Gordon-Brown.
Half a century on from the Vietnam war, Ms Gordon-Brown set out to capture the images of the men and women who served and to tell the stories of day to day life outside of the politics and military history of which so much has already been written.
Released as a book in 2015, Behind the Wire is touring the country with personal insights into the war-time and post-war experiences of servicemen of all ranks whose jobs included cooks, dental assistants, truck drivers, medics, tank drivers, instrument fitters, forward scouts, riflemen, training team members, civilian nurses and more.
Healesville RSL General Manager Gary Slater said the opportunity to stage the exhibition coincided perfectly with their decision to support the healing garden project proposed by Eastern Health Foundation.
The foundation aims to raise $90,000 through sponsorship and community support for the garden which will provide an outdoor space designed to promote a healing and relaxing atmosphere for patients, visitors and staff.
Mr Slater said the RSL had donated $2,500 towards the project and committed to further fundraising.
“The project appealed to us because we have a number of veterans and their families who we assist through our welfare program who use the hospital as well as our broader RSL membership,” he said.
“We were very keen to host this exhibition which will be supported with memorabilia from our collection.
“We want veterans who see Behind the Wire in Healesville to feel that the 40 people who feature are representative of all veterans; that they are not being highlighted, just sharing their story.
“Having local memorabilia will help to broaden the experience,” Mr Slater said.
The RSL will run raffles and have donation tins available during the six week exhibition.
Ms Gordon-Brown said she was thrilled when the RSL said they wanted to host Behind the Wire and delighted that it will support a relevant local project.
“For so many, the hospital environment is part of the healing environment and there is something about nature that helps,” she said.
“And, it’s not just the veterans, many will have family members in hospital.
“Several of the veterans I spoke to feel that life now is about family and community, and so many are involved in doing things for the veteran community,” Ms Gordon-Brown said.
“It comes back to community and this fits so well with that notion that they are still serving their country.”
Behind the Wire will open at Healesville RSL’s Gallipoli Lounge on Sunday 19 May at 2pm and run through to Sunday 30 June.
Visit www.behindthewire.com.au for more information on Behind the Wire or www.healesvillersl.com.au or phone 5962 5017 for information on the Healesville exhibition.
