Bringing home a bride
Private Ian Harty and Le Thi Huong married in a Roman Catholic ceremony in Vung Tau, 27 November 1971. Photographer Philip Errington.
From ancient times to modern, wars have produced tales of love between soldiers sent to foreign shores and civilians there who received them. There are many well documented war-bride stories from the First and Second World Wars. There are the stories of love from the occupation of Europe and Japan in the aftermath of the Second World War.
But barely known are the stories of Australian servicemen in Vietnam who married local women and fought for them to be allowed to come out to Australia. Anna Wilkinson explores several stories of Australian soldiers who met and married Vietnamese women and then had to navigate the military system to bring their wives to Australia.
To read Anna’s engaging article, purchase your copy of Wartime 105.