Vietnam: Through the Eyes of a Digger

Vietnam War veteran, Greg Carter, shares his powerful collection of photographs and personal stories to offer insight to life during the war

Greg Carter served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970 with the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. At 19, he purchased a professional camera from the PX (Postal Exchange) during his service, sparking a passion for photography.

“I took lots of photos but didn’t get to see many of the results. War soldiers would send their films back to Australia for processing and many photos would end up lost, damaged or stolen. I was then given access to a purpose-built darkroom in Vietnam where I could process and print all of my own photos. As soon as I saw the first image printed on paper I was hooked. I spent every spare moment in the last months taking photos and processing them, removing the risk of losing the irreplaceable photos,” Greg said.

When Greg returned home, he found it hard to settle back into everyday life. He left his job to pursue photography full-time—a decision that led to a 45-year career and more than 900 weddings captured.

Now retired, Greg hopes this event will help people better understand the human side of the Vietnam War. His photos offer rare insight into daily life, living conditions, friendships and the experiences of Australian soldiers.

“I hope that by sharing my Vietnam War photos, people will gain a greater understanding on what it was like to be a soldier during the war. I’ll also share some lighthearted stories such as eating ration packs made in 1946 – the 20 year old biscuits were pretty hard, but edible, and when you are in a war zone, as long as you’ve had something to eat, that was fine by us”, Greg said.

FREE event, bookings essential.
Hosted by Holdfast Bay Library Service