Quilts honour veterans

TWO quilts presented through a local CWA branch have been gratefully received, honouring two veterans.

Bev Kummerlowe and her late husband, Hilmar “Irish” Kummerlowe, both served in the Australian Defence Force.

The couple met on-base, with Mr Kummerlowe a medic who’d just returned from Vietnam, and Ms Kummerlowe a driver in the Transport Corp.

In March, Ms Kummerlowe was presented with two Quilts of Valour made by fellow Bacchus Marsh CWA member, Beryl Leek, who is also a member of the RSL.

The quilts aim to award veterans, service personnel, and families of veterans who have passed away, recognising their service, sacrifice, and valour for their country.

“Recipients have to be nominated first, by a family member or someone who knows them,” Ms Leek said

“I didn’t do it through the RSL though, I did it through CWA because I’m a member, and I’ve known Bev and Irish very well.

“They took five hours to cut and three hours to make each.”

Ms Kummerlowe said she was usually a tough woman, but seeing the beautiful quilts made in honour of her and Irish’s service brought her to tears.

“Beryl presented them to me at the CWA. When [Irish] died, Beryl was going to do something for me, and she asked if she could make me a quilt,” she said.

“I just thought it’d be a regular quilt…I didn’t think it’d be anything as incredible as these. When I looked at it, I couldn’t stop crying, and I don’t normally cry.

“Both of them are absolutely beautiful. I took it down to the RSL and showed it to a Vietnam veteran there, and he shed a tear too. He was trying to hide it, but you could tell.”

One of the quilts, themed around women’s wartime service, was made in honour of Ms Kummerlowe, and she plans to present it to the RSL at some point.

The other, themed around Vietnam War remembrance, hangs on the wall at the home of Ms Kummerlowe’s daughter Kylie, in honour of her dad.

Kylie said more should be done to educate children on the Vietnam War, and support Vietnam veterans and their families.

“I’m bloody proud of Dad’s service and the way he lived his life afterwards,” she said.

“The greatest thing a descendant of a soldier can do is put their medals on and march for them on ANZAC Day so they’re not forgotten.

“Often it was tough for the kids of veterans as well, but they should know they’re not alone, there’s help.

“There’s a private Facebook page I’m a part of called the Vietnam Veterans Children Worldwide. They can get online and talk to us there.”