ANDREW TOMKINS
Ray’s Room
Ink, Enamel Aerosol, Pigment on Polyester
121 x 121 cm
The door, not always open
A bed always made
The room always dark
Full of memories.
This work is an image of a childhood memory of my grandparents’ house.
As a child, Uncle Ray’s room was off limits. It was his space. Raymond Tomkins was a participant in the battle of Slaters Knoll, Bougainville in 1945. He went away a young man but returned a very different person.
It was always expected that personnel returning back to civilian life from active duty “just got on with It”. More often than not, the only support came from each other.
Ray did get on with it, leading a productive life and supporting fellow servicemen and their families.
In recent times, it has been recognized that the treatment of our returned service personnel is a national disgrace. The Royal Commission of 2022 is only the first step in finally providing the support that our veterans justly deserve.
