My Great-Uncle’s War Record Was Redacted
Does family have a right to know why or is it his own private business?
My grandma’s oldest brother died when I was six. I can’t remember much about him so I can’t tell you what kind of man he was. But since I’ve been researching my family tree, I discovered his World War II military service record was expunged.
Despite my family’s catchphrase, “Let sleeping dogs lie,” I’m busting with curiosity to find out why.
Childhood memories
I have blurry memories of my great-uncle. I remember a thin man with the same pale skin and blue eyes I inherited from that side of the family. He had a Yorkshire Terrier that I thought was called Tuna but was more likely named Juno. I remember my great-uncle poured his tea into a saucer and let the dog lap it up.
We visited my great-uncle in the hospital. He was wearing pyjamas and he gave me ten 10-cent coins — a dollar. Then he was lying down wearing a suit in some other place. Someone lifted me up to see him. He was 67.
My great-uncle, who had no children and never married, gave my family a gift that made my childhood magical. He left Grandma a house with a huge garden in a beach town not far from Melbourne.
