JEAN Beard, born in 1934, was only seven-years-old when her father, Private Sam Compton left to serve in World War II.

Her brother Syd was 10.

Pte Compton didn’t tell Jean’s mother, Marjorie, that he was going off to war until he had enlisted, so it was a shock for her when she found out.

“I can still remember him going off to war – kissing me goodbye and having a dance with him at the training school send off,” Jean said.

Little did she realise the impact his enlistment would have on them all.

Pte Compton and his fellow soldiers were initially sent to the Middle East, however, upon arrival they were sent to Java (part of present-day Indonesia), as the Japanese were making their way towards Australia.

Being poorly equipped, they were quickly imprisoned by their Japanese adversaries.

After a time, Pte Compton was transported to Burma (present day Myanmar) where, for three and a half years, he was forced to work on the infamous Burma Railway.

During that prolonged period, Jean’s family didn’t know what had happened to Pte Compton, but believed he was alive as they received propaganda cards printed by the Japanese with his signature on them.

Renowned Australian serviceman, ‘Weary’ Dunlop, also being held prisoner by the Japanese, once saved Pte Compton.

 Jean’s father had wandered from camp in a disorientated state and Weary Dunlop carried him back many miles to safety.

“If he hadn’t done that, dad would have died over there,” Jean said.

Jean’s family lived with her grandparents who owned a farm in Gorae between Heywood and Portland, with about 25 acres of orchard.

“People had to be more self-sufficient in those days,” Jean said.

Her family did their own butchering, milking of cows, making butter, sewing clothes and growing vegetables.

It was a complicated task managing an orchid and when Jean’s grandfather died in 1946, her 14-year-old brother Syd had to leave school to do just that.

He stood in place of his father, Pte Compton, who was struggling on his return home and unable to cope well with the demands of life and work.

Pte Compton suffered from, what we call today, post-traumatic stress after the trauma of being beaten and nearly starved to death as a prisoner of war.

Mrs Compton was also struggling with a heavy workload and her own disabilities having had polio as a child.

By the age of 15, Jean had also left school to help at home and selflessly dedicated her life to looking after her mother.

Their lives and those of so many others were forever changed, and they needed help.

That is where Legacy came to their aid, on their organisation’s website stating that, ‘In 1923, Legacy made a promise to help veterans’ families carry on with their lives after the loss or injury of their loved one’.

Jean recalled that Jack McCombe, from Legacy, fought hard and succeeded in getting her mother a well-deserved pension.

Later on, another Legacy representative, Maurice Streeter continued to advocate for the family and had a good rapport with them sharing an interest in ornithology (the scientific study of birds).

Jean who passed on this history to her own family never forgot their assistance and friendship.

In 1956 Jean married Dave Beard, and the couple had two daughters and a son.

In gratitude to Legacy, Jean Beard’s daughter and son-in-law, Lynette and Wayne Grant, have donated wool fleece to the Hamilton & District Legacy for the past 25-years.

They would like to encourage more people to support Legacy because of their ongoing assistance to Vietnam veterans and others who find themselves in the same situation as their grandmother, Mrs Marjorie Compton, did so long ago.