A Vietnam War veteran from Australia has handed over a diary and a scarf that he found by a fallen Vietnamese soldier and kept for 42 years to the soldier’s relatives.

On April 3, Laurens Wildeboer handed them over to the elderly mother of the dead soldier, who was known as Phan Van Ban and also Phan Van Nhon.

Wildeboer became very emotional as he apologised to the soldier’s elderly mother, Nguyen Thi Hieu, for what he had done in the past.

The former Australian serviceman also praised Vietnamese soldiers for their bravery and the sacrifices they made for their country.

Meanwhile, Hieu, in tears, said that she was very moved and glad that the war was now in the past and that her son’s mementos are source of inspiration to all her family. Currently, her family is making every effort to find her beloved son’s remains.
During his visit, Wildeboer expressed his deepest thanks to his Vietnamese friends, who had helped him to find Ban’s relatives.-VNA