Postcards go through time

By Kath Gannaway
AS PRISONERS of war at Moulmein in Burma, Vince Peters and Ted Buckton would have shared stories of their families back home.
Private Peters’ wife, Daisy, and children, Harry, Dot, Beryl, Glen, and baby Eric travelled down from Healesville to wave goodbye to him at Spencer Street Station as he headed off to war in 1942.
Pte Buckton and his wife, had a six-year-old, Tom.
More than 60 years after the men died as prisoners of war, their children met for the first time after learning of their fathers’ mateship by chance.
A photo of a postcard – standard Imperial Japanese Army issue – sent home by Pte Peters and identifying T. E. Buckton as a friend, appeared in the Age last year.
When Tom Buckton heard of the article from a friend he made the connection immediately. He had a postcard too, sent by his father and identifying Vince Peters as his friend.
The Buckton family lived in Badger Creek for a couple of years before the war and although both men’s names are on the honour board at Healesville RSL, it’s not known whether they knew each other before the war.
The cards painted a different picture of life as a POW to that history later revealed.
“They were supplied by the Japanese… obviously the men were not going to write home to relatives that they were sick,” Mr Buckton said.
“At least you knew that the man was alive, but nothing else of importance.”
Both families received three cards. “They said he was quite fit and well, but his records show that wasn’t true; most of the time he was sick with malaria,” Ms Peters said.
Mr Buckton doesn’t remember receiving the postcards but he remembers a telegram being delivered to their door.
“The people from the local store which ran the post office knew us.
“They waited until the afternoon when they were not so busy so they could both come up to be with us.
“I remember that part very well,” Mr Buckton said.
The sadness of children who never really knew their father remains.
“When you’re young and lose a parent you only ever know your mum or dad as children do,” Ms Peters said.
“If you’re lucky enough to still have them when you are grown up you know them again as adults and that’s the loss you feel.”
Both Ms Peters and Mr Buckton see Anzac Day as a special time to remember their fathers and others who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Ms Peters said her father was one of many Aboriginal Australians, including her older brother Harry, who, although they didn’t have the right to vote, didn’t hesitate to sign up to fight for their country.
“When I think of dad dying there is a sadness there,” Ms Peters said.
“But my family and I believe that dad and other Australians gave their lives so all of us can do what we do today in relative peace.
“That’s a privilege we should honour and guard very strongly as Australians.”