History of Mount Gambier RSL

Following on that inaugural meeting, our Annual Sub-branch dinner is always held as near to that mid July date as possible.

The Name and Its Changes

In the beginning, the organisation was known as the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia, with the badge depicting two figures - a sailor and a soldier.

WWII saw a change with the admission of the returning members of the RAAF.
The name then changed to the RSS & Airmens League, with three figures on the badge.

And more recently another change to the badge in 1990 with recognition of the Womens Services and the placing of a fourth figure on the badge. Another significant name change has also taken place with the organisation now being known as "The Returned and Services League of Australia".

This now allows service personnel from all the defence categories whether they have been involved in conflict or have served in the permanent services, to become full members of the League.

We have also an Affiliate Membership. This enables family members to become members and a separate badge is issued. These members have the same voting rights as Ordinary members, but cannot take office as a President or Vice President.

Social Membership - Purely a social member without any voting rights and cannot hold office of any kind.

The Structure

National HQ is in Canberra - National President, National Secretary and Staff being very handy for negotiations with politicians and bureaucrats.

Each state likewise has its own HQ with the required staff.

In the main, we have had only the one home, that on the main corner. Early in 1988 it was realised that we were entering a problem period with our building. Parking had always been a problem at the corner, and with changes being made by Council to Commercial Street, it could only get worse. A lot of members were getting older and the stairs in the building were making access more difficult. The building was 30 years old and maintenance costs were escalating.

An investigating committee was set up to look at the future of the building. After a lot of searching and many meetings, a proposal was prepared to be put to a general meeting of the sub-branch members. That meeting gave the Committee the authority to proceed with the change from the main corner to the building we are in today.

The RSL could be called one of the original service clubs in our city.

Since WWII, we have been involved in the community to quite some degree, certainly with an eye to the welfare of our own people.

Potatoes have been grown to raise money for the Darby & Joan cottages in the Grantville Court area. When McNamara Park was being established, we had quite an involvement with the administration as well as the catering areas of getting the park on the way. A cattle agistment scheme was run for some time to raise funds for Legacy. We have established a "Distressed Soldiers Fund" which is now self-supporting and which can be of help to some of our people who may at some time need some financial help.

Our WWI diggers were responsible in part for the establishment of indoor bowls in the city - and that activity still flourishes - we have bowls in this club twice a week. WWII fellows have carried it on for us since 1952.
The Anzac Day race meeting was established in 1957. We gave 2000 pounds to what is now the RSL & District Bowling Club to help them get started.

YMCA, The Browns Lake Lookout - the latter being funded and then given to the City council. More recently we have made donations to the Vintage Car Club to assist them with the restoration of the Old Gun which has been placed back in the Vansittart Park Gardens.

We have a commitment to the War Veterans Home at Myrtle Bank in Adelaide each year.

Legacy is of course always in our minds. Whilst it exists in its own right in the South East, we do keep an interest from a sub-branch point of view. There are some 357 Widows being cared for in the South East by 35 or so Legatees.
Legacy will continue to be needed into the year 2000 and beyond.

Boandik Lodge has been assisted for many years. In 1999, the RSL donated $50,000 towards extension to Crouch Street Hostel. Among other donations, patient lifters were also purchased for use by Miroma Cottage and the Oaks Nursing Home.

 Mount Gambier Branch Brief History