Laurel Williams speaks about the service of Indigenous men and women from around the NSW Central Coast area, including Forster, Coffs Harbour and Taree. Working from a collection of photos, she speaks about family and wider community members who have served in all the major conflicts from World War 1 through to Afghanistan. Describing the post-war life of her relatives who served in World War 2 in particular, Laurel recalls once going to the RSL club in Forster for lunch with her Uncle who served in New Guinea, where she was astounded to see him asked to produce a membership card, and she thought to herself ‘this man has fought in the war, has lived here all his life and here is this person really questioning [his right to enter the RSL] … and he wasn’t very happy, but he didn’t make a big deal … he just produced his membership badge and off we went in.’

• Watch Laurel’s interview in Newcastle;
• Return to the Newcastle Yarn Up page.