"War is one of those stupid corruptions of mankind we keep repeating. You hated them, then peace came, and we turned around and got on with life. There’s no point holding hate. It doesn’t do anyone any good." – Harold West

Harold West served in what is now Papua New Guinea.

From his home in Kiama, the 102-year-old reflects on the war that shaped his early adulthood, and the quiet strength that carried him into peacetime.

He was part of the Anzac Day services in Kiama last week, riding in a car in the official march.

When Harold talks about war, he doesn’t dwell on heroism.

He speaks plainly, almost gently, of a time when he was 18, conscripted into the Australian Army, and sent to fight the Japanese in New Guinea, the eastern half of the island that is today the independent nation of Papua New Guinea.

“You’re shooting at a bloke you don’t know because someone told you to do it,” he says. “That’s the way it was.”

For four years, Harold worked as a wireless operator, keeping communications alive through dense jungle and harsh conditions.

He remembers being in Wewak, in northern New Guinea, when the war ended.

“We caught the surrender ceremonies up there,” he says. “And that was it. Four years, then peace.”

But coming home didn’t mean picking up where he left off.

“You miss a big chunk of your life,” Harold reflects. “You’ve lived by army rules, and then suddenly, you’re free. It’s strange. You’ve got to start from scratch.”

Before the war, Harold had already begun training as an accountant.

Without the interruption, he imagines he might have finished his studies, found a job, and married young. “But the war turned that path inside out,” he says.

“When I got back, I just wanted to settle down. Find a girl, get married, have a family. That was my way of getting back to normal.”

And that’s exactly what he did. He completed his qualifications as a Certified Practising Accountant, met and married Eunice in 1949, and together they built a home in Mascot.

They raised three daughters, and now have seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Many family holidays were spent at their much-loved getaway in Jervis Bay.

In recognition of his longstanding commitment to community service, Harold was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2007.

When Harold retired they moved to the South Coast, a decision they had long dreamed about. “We loved it down here,” he says. “We built a cottage and eventually moved our whole life here.”

Now living in Kiama, Harold reflects often on peace and forgiveness.

“They were the enemy then. Now we trade with them. There’s no point holding hate. It doesn’t do anyone any good.”

Harold’s story is one of endurance, perspective, and quiet resolve.

“War is just one part of your life,” he says. “When it ends, you turn around and get on with the next bit.”