IT was June 1971, when Mike Williams was just 20 years-old and serving as a platoon medic for the New Zealand Army in the Vietnam War.
He was deployed along with a platoon of New Zealand soldiers to rescue an Australian tank crew that had been hit by a rocket propelled grenade.
An enemy bunker system had blasted an Australian tank as part of Operation Hermit Park, a joint infantry/armoured clearance operation in the Phuoc Tuy Province.
"This tank got blown up and two of the crew had been very, badly hurt and as a platoon medic I was required to go help them," the private soldier said.
In the thick, dense jungle Mr Williams administered first aid to two soldiers in that tank, one of whom he was certain would've died within 30 minutes.
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"He was a total stranger to me and he was badly hurt, possibly deceased I thought but it turned out that he lived," he said.
That badly injured soldier was Tamworth-born Private Philip Barwick.
"Eighteen years had passed and I began to ponder what had happened to that guy I saved. I remember seeing the name Barwick on his uniform and that he was from Tamworth," Mr Williams said.
He turned to the telephone directory in 1989, calling everyone with the surname Barwick in the Tamworth area until he eventually located Mr Barwick's family.
Sadly, Mr Barwick had died at just 39 years-old due to illness, and Mr Williams was 18 months too late to meet him.
"I tracked him down and was able to make contact with his family but I never got the chance to meet him," he said.
Although bittersweet he connected with Mr Barwick's widow Kath Newman, who now resides in Lorn and together they have formed a life-long friendship.
"I wish he had made the contact sooner, Phillip would've loved meeting you," Ms Newman said.
Ms Newman said they had always thought a Maori man had rescued her husband and felt fortunate to know the full story.
"Phillip never got to meet them or say thanks for saving his life. I know he spent years wondering who those blokes from New Zealand were who pulled him from that tank and saved his life. But today I get to say thank you," she said.
She said her husband was a joy to be around and full of life, and having the connection with Mr Williams made her feel closer to him.
"It truly is lovely and I am so grateful," she said.
She also met New Zealand veteran Norman Fry who was the platoon commander during Operation Hermit Park.
Mr Fry said it was always good to meet up with his soldiers and see Ms Newman.
"We are like a big family with a lifetime of friendship," he said.
