Una Berglund of Albion Park Rail (left) at age 18 and (right) today at age 100. Photos: Supplied.
A wartime romance sparked by a chance meeting and carried through handwritten letters has shaped the life of Albion Park Rail aged care resident Una Berglund, who is celebrating her 100th birthday this Saturday.
She will mark her official birthday on Saturday 18 April surrounded by about 60 family members and friends, including her three daughters and 19 great‑grandchildren, some travelling from as far as Melbourne.
While the milestone itself is special, Una said it was the opportunity to see her great-grandchildren that she was most looking forward to.
Her century-long life has spanned service during World War II, raising a family, supporting high school students with reading, and documenting her story through a series of autobiographies, but she remains modest about her achievements.
That story is deeply intertwined with the war years, a path first inspired by her sister.
“My sister was a nurse, and she joined up, and I went and joined up a day or two later,” she said.
“I went on a five-month course, and the war was drawing to an end when I finished my course.”
She served for a year and five months in the Royal Australian Air Force, discharging at the rank of Corporal.
However, it was a whirlwind romance that would become the most defining moment of her wartime experience.
“It’s where I met my husband,” she said, laughing.
“He was with the Royal British Pacific Fleet that came out to help us against the Japanese, and I met him in Melbourne.
“He was in port for six weeks. We were fortunate to meet at the beginning of his time in Melbourne, and we went out. We saw each other as often as we could when we got leave,” she said, laughing.
“At the end of that time, he asked me if I’d marry him and go and live in England. My parents weren’t too happy about the idea of me going to England.”
However, she said the day the war ended, his entire fleet was sent off to Hong Kong, during which time the newly engaged couple kept in contact by writing letters.
“Fortunately, they had to pick up food for England, and they called in for a couple of weeks just after the war finished and we got married,” she said.
“We were only kids, when you think of it. We were both 19.
“He went back to England and he thought he’d get back sooner, but it was 10 months before he got back here.”
She said they set up a home in Orange, admitting the problems of finding a house to live in today were no different back then.
“We had all that trouble after the war,” she said.
“All the men came back from the war and had difficulties finding somewhere to live.”
When her youngest daughter started school, Una’s passion became writing.
“I wanted to leave something about my life for the kids,” she said.
Her first book, Land of the Rippling Gold, which is still in schools today, tells the story of her childhood growing up in Central West NSW in a small town called Tullibigeal, near Lake Cargelligo.
She went on to write Ripples of War, capturing her experiences in the forces up until her marriage, and later Home Is Where the House Is, which tells the story of her married life.
Another deeply personal work, Love Letters from the Pacific, draws on the correspondence from her wartime romance.
While most of her writing stayed close to the truth, she did write numerous short stories, eventually collaborating on a published book of short stories with her daughter.
Writing wasn’t Una’s only way of shaping lives. For years, she and her husband volunteered at Oak Flats High School, working with students who struggled with reading.
“They were in high school and couldn’t read properly, so we were helping them,” she said.
“We did that for quite a few years.”
These days, Una no longer writes, with arthritis in her fingers making it too difficult.
“I was a good touch typist, but now I can’t do it,” she said, laughing.
“I think my writing days are over.”
While many look to a secret formula for reaching 100, Una keeps it simple.
“I had a grandfather who lived to 99 and a half, which was pretty good for those days,” she said.
“Also I’ve never smoked and only the occasional drink.”
With a letter already received from a NSW minister and an official message expected from King Charles, the soon-to-be centenarian is taking the attention in her stride.
