Betty May poem

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'Double Trouble': Poem written by Betty May Browne about twin brothers Ron and Terry Farrell in September 1968. The Farrell brothers were the first set of New Zealand twins to serve in a war zone at the same time since the Second World War.

This poem was one of hundreds of letters and poems written by Betty May to the men of 161 Battery RNZA during the unit's six-year stint in Vietnam. She began corresponding with the battery soon after its arrival at Bien Hoa airbase, writing every week until they returned to New Zealand. Her letters, which normally included a couple of Golden Kiwi lottery tickets, provided homesick gunners with news stories from New Zealand and became an important link to the outside world.

Betty May kept in touch with 161 Battery following its return from Vietnam, maintaining a close relationship with the unit right up until her death in April 2008.

Reference

Terry Farrell

How to cite this page: ' Betty May poem ', URL: https://vietnamwar.govt.nz/zoomify/betty-may-poem, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 30-Sep-2014