R E S P E C T I N G , S U P P O R T I N G A N D R E M E M B E R I N G O U R V E T E R A N S A N D T H E I R FA M I L I E S
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ROYAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS: TWO YEARS OF PROGRESS A NEW CHAPTER IN MURRUMBATEMAN
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T H E
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Contents
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THIS ISSUE
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FEATURES
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ROYAL COMMISSION How RSL NSW is working with DVA to advocate for legislation reform, and support veterans and families.
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BLAZING A TRAIL These all-star veterans are empowering their peers to thrive via RSL NSW programs and connections.
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LONG TAN ANNIVERSARY Sixty years on, veterans share the conflict’s legacy and how survivors have bonded since.
A NEW CHAPTER Defence families and other veterans in Murrumbateman, north of Canberra, have a new local touchpoint.
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MEET KEATON JOHNSON RSL NSW's newest Community Relations Partner shares the passion that drives his work with sub-Branches.
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REGULARS
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RSL NSW NEWS Your guide to attending Congress, RSL LifeCare Veteran Services funding, King’s Birthday Honours and more.
SUB-BRANCH NEWS Events and stories from sub-Branches and their members across the state.
WELCOME President Vince Williams and CEO Mick Frewen on voting in the Board election, preparing for Congress and more.
LAST POST
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SNAPSHOT City2Surf
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Welcome
VINCE WILLIAMS PRESIDENT, RSL NSW “Achieving our charitable purpose requires combining the strength of our local sub-Branches with the state-wide programs, services and expertise of RSL NSW.”
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s we look to the future of RSL NSW, I am increasingly confident that our greatest strength lies in what we can achieve together. Over recent months, I have continued to meet with members and subBranch leaders across NSW. Those conversations have reinforced the incredible commitment within our organisation and provided valuable insight into the opportunities and challenges we must address together. That consultation has helped shape our Better Together Strategic Plan, which I look forward to sharing at Congress in October. The plan sets a clear direction for the next three years. It recognises that achieving our charitable purpose – defined under Clause 3 of our Constitution as, broadly, to provide for the wellbeing and care of veterans and their families – requires combining the strength of our local sub-Branches with the statewide programs, services and expertise of RSL NSW.
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This includes our Veteran Support Fund Tier 1 initiatives delivered by the RSL NSW team at ANZAC House for the benefit of the entire network. By investing collectively in capabilities such as veteran support, advocacy, member services and volunteer support, we can amplify our impact. As we mark Vietnam Veterans’ Day and 60 years since the Battle of Long Tan, we are reminded of the generations of service that connect us. We also mourn the passing of Reginald Chard OAM, aged 102, the last known surviving veteran of the Kokoda Track campaign. His advice to younger generations was simple: use manners, be kind, and if you can help someone, do so. Those are values worth carrying forward and capture the spirit of the RSL.
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THE RETURNED AND SERVICES LEAGUE OF AUSTRALIA (NEW SOUTH WALES BRANCH) ANZAC House, Suite 12.02, Level 12, 60 Carrington Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
MICHAEL FREWEN CEO, RSL NSW
Phone (02) 9264 8188 Email support@rslnsw.org.au Web www.rslnsw.org.au President Vince Williams Chief Executive Officer Michael Frewen
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t is a privilege to join RSL NSW as Chief Executive Officer at such an important time for veterans. As a fellow veteran, having served across infantry and special operations roles in the Australian Army for 20 years, I am passionate about ensuring we are doing everything we can to support veterans and their families.
I have since worked in emergency response, healthcare and the not-for-profit sector, most recently as CEO of CareFlight. My experiences have reinforced to me that the greatest asset in any organisation is people, and that it is a privilege to be trusted to lead and serve, particularly in an organisation such as the RSL. I joined RSL NSW as a member in 2022 after a period living overseas, and come from a family long affiliated with the RSL. I understand the importance of our
State Secretary Jeff O’Brien
sub-Branches and volunteers, and the role RSL NSW plays in supporting veterans and families. My priority is to listen, learn and build on the strong foundations. The Better Together Strategic Plan provides a clear direction for the next three years, shaped through consultation with our members. I will take this opportunity to acknowledge Trina Constable for her leadership as Acting CEO over the past year. I am grateful that she will continue to be part of the RSL NSW team, ensuring continuity. I look forward to meeting many of you at Congress and working together for RSL NSW’s future.
Publishing Director Jelena Li Managing Editor Hallie Donkin Editor Lachlan Haycock Creative Director Gareth Allsopp Art Director Katie Smith Cover photography Andrew Linturn
PEFC Certified Paper from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources PEFC/21-31-119
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Reveille is published by the New South Wales Branch of the RSL in association with Mahlab. Everything in this magazine is copyright and may not be reproduced unless written permission is granted by RSL NSW prior to its publication date. All rights reserved © copyright by RSL NSW. All contributions are welcome; please contact news@rslnsw.org.au. All care will be taken with material but no responsibility is assumed or accepted by the publisher or RSL NSW for loss or damage. All opinions expressed in Reveille are not necessarily those of the publisher or RSL NSW.
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News NEED TO KNOW View online: All members
are welcome to watch the proceedings via livestream. A link will be emailed to members, with no registration required.
Who can attend: Each sub-
Branch may appoint one Delegate and one Alternate Delegate, who must be Service Members attached to the sub-Branch.
Registrations close: 9 October
Proxy nomination deadline:
CONGRESS
2026 RSL NSW CONGRESS AND AGM
16 October
Costs: Any sub-Branch
requiring financial assistance to support attendance may apply to the RSL NSW sub-Branch Support and Assistance Fund.
Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre, 23–25 October 2026 The 2026 RSL NSW Congress and Annual General Meeting (AGM) will mark an important milestone as we launch the new ‘Better Together’ Strategic Plan, developed in consultation with the District Presidents’ Council, District Councils, sub-Branches, and members during the 2026 RSL NSW Listening Tour. Congress will provide Delegates with the first opportunity to explore the Strategic Plan in detail and contribute to discussions about how we put the plan into action. Together, we will consider the practical
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steps needed to strengthen our organisation, better support our volunteers, and ensure RSL NSW remains a strong, sustainable and trusted charity serving veterans and their families. Delegates will also hear about the progress already being made to strengthen governance, support the frontline, rebuild trust, and improve services for veterans and their families state-wide. There will be dedicated opportunities for questions, discussion and member feedback throughout the program.
OBSERVERS Any RSL NSW member may attend online or in-person as an observer. Observers who attend in person must be registered. Observers attending online are not required to register. All members will be emailed a link to watch the livestream. Observer registrations must be completed through the subBranch Portal by an Honorary Secretary or other executive with access to the portal.
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RSL NSW SPORT AND RECREATION PROGRAM As an introduction to Australia’s largest veteran sports program, all Delegates and Alternate Delegates are invited to join fellow members from across the state on Saturday evening for lawn bowls, trivia and camaraderie.
WHERE: Tamworth City Bowling Club WHEN: From 5pm, Saturday 24 October Shuttle bus and refreshments will be provided
Congress will provide Delegates with the first opportunity to explore the Strategic Plan in detail and contribute to discussions about how we put the plan into action.
HOW TO REGISTER Sub-Branch Delegate, Alternate Delegate and observer: Registrations can only be submitted through the sub-Branch portal on the RSL NSW by the Honorary Secretary or another executive with portal access.
Scan the QR Code to see detailed instructions for sub-Branch registration
District Council Delegates and Alternate Delegates:
Proxy nominations:
Scan the QR code
proxy nomination
to complete the
form via the
registration form.
sub-Branch portal.
Scan the QR Code
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS THURSDAY 22 OCTOBER 4:30–6:00pm: Walk and Talk, Bicentennial Park, with Tamworth RSL sub-Branch FRIDAY 23 OCTOBER 9:00am – 12:00pm: Open Day, Tamworth sub-Branch 2:00–3:00pm: Delegate and Alternate Delegate pack collection, TRECC 3:00–5:00pm: Official Opening Ceremony, TRECC 5:00–6:30pm: Welcome Function, TRECC SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER 8:30am – 4:30pm: Congress, TRECC 5:00–8:00pm: Sport and recreation activities, Tamworth City Bowling Club (shuttle departs TRECC) SUNDAY 25 OCTOBER 8:00am: Voting device collection (sub-Branch Delegate only) 9:00am until close: Annual General Meeting, TRECC
to download the
The AGM will conclude once all business has been completed. »
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News
l–r: Five Dock RSL sub-Branch Secretary David Clarke and President Robert Ridge, and RSL NSW Chief of Staff Trina Constable
FIVE DOCK RSL SUB-BRANCH SUPPORTS PRESIDENT'S SHIELD Five Dock RSL sub-Branch has made a significant contribution of $500,000 to the RSL NSW President’s Shield via the Veteran Support Fund, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to supporting veterans and their families across the state.
administration and training, financial support through the Support and Assistance Fund, and membership services.
The donation highlights the Five Dock RSL sub-Branch’s dedication to a strong future for veteran support services in NSW.
By supporting RSL NSW via the President’s Shield, contributions also help to advance the veterans’ policy and advocacy work of RSL NSW. The League has a proud history of advocating for the health and wellbeing of veterans and their families.
Contributions to the President’s Shield assist RSL NSW to provide support for commemorations and major events, guidance and advice to sub-Branches regarding trust deeds and property transactions, sub-Branch
Through the work of the RSL NSW Veterans Services and Policy Committee and collaboration with the RSL nationally and other ESOs, RSL NSW remains a strong and relevant voice for veterans and those in the Defence community.
VSF 2025 AT A GLANCE Total donations via the VSF:
$9,018,591 Number of initiatives supported:
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Number of initiatives fully funded:
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Largest single donation:
$600,000 Maroubra RSL sub-Branch to RSL LifeCare
SNAPSHOT: IMPACT OF RSL NSW INITIATIVES Almost one in four LGAs in the state now has a veteran advocate. RSL NSW now has 70 advocates across the state and that number is set to increase with 20 advocacy mentors now available to support the training and qualification of new volunteers.
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Close to 7,000 users have accessed the Veteran Support Navigator since it launched in late 2025, using it to find veteran-specific local and statewide services and support for themselves, their family members and others in their sub-Branches and communities.
RSL NSW has trained 589 Wellbeing Support Officers, and 130 RSL sub-Branches now have a trained and authorised WSO. In 2025, 138 sub-branches participated in more than 3,000 activities as part of the RSL NSW Sports and Recreation program.
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KING'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS WELCOMING THE LEAGUE'S FIFTH INTERNATIONAL SUB-BRANCH Australian veterans and their family members in London, UK have a new touchpoint with our community, with an international sub-Branch of RSL NSW established in London following an inaugural meeting at Australia House. “London is home to a great number of Australian veterans,” said Jason Hazell, Foundation Member of the London RSL sub-Branch. “I look forward to welcoming many through the doors of our sub-Branch, and will be working to ensure that all those who seek support, community or an opportunity to contribute know where to find us.” The London RSL sub-Branch is the fifth international outpost of the League, with others based in:
• Port Moresby, PNG • Washington DC, USA • Subic Bay, Philippines • Angeles City / Clark, Philippines RSL NSW also has two far-flung sub-Branches within Australia, on Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands.
Congratulations to all RSL NSW members recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours. Recognition at the highest level of so many in our community reflects the incredibly high standard of service set by veterans.
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division
Mr George Christopher Sachse Gosford RSL sub-Branch
Mr Kevin William Camm Bomaderry RSL sub-Branch
Mr Matthew Vertzonis CSM RFD Chatswood RSL sub-Branch
Mr Roderick James Cooke Lane Cove RSL sub-Branch
Mr Colin Wilson Windsor & District RSL sub-Branch
Mr Robin George Cummins Epping RSL sub-Branch
Mr George Bruce Wilson Smithfield RSL sub-Branch
Mr Kenneth Thomas Fayle City of Newcastle RSL sub-Branch
Awarded the Australian Police Medal (APM)
The late Mr Richard Lindsay Gordon Forestville RSL sub-Branch
Chief Inspector Paul Edwin Martin NSW Police RSL sub-Branch
The late Mr Peter Kearsey Inverell RSL sub-Branch Mr Maxwell John Lewis Cessnock RSL sub-Branch Mr Kenneth John Martin Darlington Point/Coleambally RSL sub-Branch Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Anthony Pickett CSM (Retd) Tenterfield RSL sub-Branch Mr Patrick John Rowe Smithfield RSL sub-Branch
Awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) Captain Bernadette Leon Alexander RAN Avalon Beach RSL sub-Branch Awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM) Warrant Officer Class Two Christopher Patrick Fallon North Bondi RSL sub-Branch Warrant Officer Class Two Corey Wayne Freckleton North Bondi RSL sub-Branch) »
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News 8 FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW VETERAN ENTITLEMENTS LEGISLATION
S TA R C E R E M O N Y
MARKING 25 YEARS SINCE OPERATION SLIPPER BEGAN The war in Afghanistan was one of the longest-running international armed conflicts involving Australia, with approximately 33,000 Australians deployed. On 11 October RSL NSW will commemorate 25 years since the commencement of Operation Slipper, with a Star Ceremony at the Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park. ADF personnel who were part of Australia’s military contribution served in Afghanistan and in various areas beyond Afghanistan, including:
• Manas airbase in neighbouring Kyrgyzstan • Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean • Maritime operations in the Persian Gulf • Headquarters and logistic support service in Gulf states, particularly the United Arab Emirates
Join us on 11 October to commemorate, remember and pay respect to all Australians who served as part of Operation Slipper, including those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, as well as those who now care for our veterans. Where: Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park When: Sunday 11 October 2026, 10:45am Scan the QR code to find out more about the Operation Slipper Star Ceremony
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One of the biggest recent developments to the veterans’ entitlements system came into effect on 1 July this year, the new Veterans' Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Act 2025, commonly referred to as the VETS Act. The VETS Act says that three disparate pieces of legislation are now merged into one single ongoing Act: the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA). This will simplify veterans’ understanding of entitlements. Here’s what you need to know now:
1. All new claims for compensation and rehabilitation, received since 1 July 2026, are now being determined under a single ongoing Act: the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA). 2. No new claims for compensation and rehabilitation will be accepted under the two previous Acts – the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA), and Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence related claims Act) 1988. 3. Existing payments under the two retired Acts will continue. 4. The Veterans’ Review Board is now the first level of external merits review for compensation claims. 5. The entitlements of those who hold a Gold Card under the VEA will not change. 6. All new Gold Card claims will be assessed under the MRCA. 7. The Veterans’ Home Care program is still available to eligible Gold and White Card holders. 8. No veteran needs to pay an advocate to lodge a claim – 70 accredited volunteer advocates are in RSL NSW sub-Branches across the state. Scan the QR code below to find an advocate.
Scan the QR Code for help finding an accredited, fee-free advocate.
Your RSL. Your Voice. Your Vote. Help shape the future of RSL NSW by voting in the 2026 Board Election. Voting opens at 12:00pm AEST on Friday 11 September 2026 and closes at 12:00pm AEDT on Monday 12 October 2026. Eligible RSL NSW Service Members can vote online or by requesting a postal ballot. Voting instructions will be issued by the Returning Officer, CorpVote, before voting opens.
Who can vote
All RSL NSW Service Members recorded in the Member Register as at 12:00pm on 16 July 2026 are eligible to vote in the 2026 Election. Affiliate and Auxiliary Members are not eligible to vote. ind everything you need to now about RSL NSW Election 2026 including ey dates and candidate infor ation at rslnsw.org.au election2026.
Scan to visit the RSL NSW election web page
Scan to vote via CorpVote
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Royal Commission
ROYAL COMMISSION REALITY:
WHAT HAS CHANGED FOR VETERANS? Two years on from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, significant reforms are re-shaping the support environment. The real measure of success, though, is in how much the lived experience of veterans changes.
Words by Chris Sheedy
W
hen the 122 final recommendations from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide were handed down in September 2024, many questioned how much meaningful change would come from the process. Two years later Isaac Ohlin, General Manager, Strategy and Veterans Support at RSL NSW, says the picture is more encouraging. “I think the job that has been done so far has been surprisingly good,” Ohlin says. “There was some cynicism when the final reports
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came down … that there’d be no movement whatsoever, or very slow, very tick-box. But that hasn’t been the case, from what we’ve seen.” Ohlin says it is best to consider the reforms as an interconnected series of practical changes and improvements that come together to create a veterans’ support system that is easier to understand, access and navigate. One of the biggest developments, the new Veterans' Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and
Harmonisation) Act 2025, came into effect on 1 July this year. “I think that will create a marked difference to how quickly, easily and well understood the veterans’ entitlement system is,” Ohlin says. “That’s the basis, once you’re out of Defence, of how you move forward and get on with your life.” The Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency, launched on the same day as the new Act, also has significant potential. “It’s hard to know exactly how well that’s going to work,” he says. “But it is promising that
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they’re talking about service navigation, and actively looking to make it easier to find services and support.” Other changes, including improvements to allied health fee schedules and changes to the advocacy system, may appear modest in isolation, he says. But together they create a more accessible system for veterans and therefore one that offers greater post-Defence support. On the topic of allied health fees, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Matt Keogh explained to
“It’s still not an easy journey for veterans at the moment, but I’m encouraged by the direction of travel.” — Isaac Ohlin, GM Strategy and Veterans Support, RSL NSW RSL NSW, “The change that we’re implementing … is about increasing the fees that DVA pays to allied health professionals. There was criticism by the Royal Commission about how low
those fees were. So we’re increasing those fees. It’s the biggest increase in 20 years.” The reforms remove the need for veterans to return to a GP after every 12 allied health »
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14 Royal Commission
IMAGE: ADF
“It’s hard to know exactly how well the Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency is going to work. But it is promising that they’re talking about service navigation and they’re actively looking to make that journey simpler, and make it easier to find services and support.” — Isaac Ohlin, GM Strategy and Veterans Support, RSL NSW
sessions. Instead, veterans can access up to $5,000 worth of allied health services before further approval is required, where clinically necessary. “The mechanics of the cap need to be worked out, and RSL NSW looks forward to working collaboratively with the government to ensure no veteran is worse off,” Ohlin says.
Spring the transition trap As support mechanisms for veterans are boosted post-Royal
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Commission, there is still room for improvement in the transition between service and civilian life. “That’s where RSL NSW would like to see more movement,” Ohlin says. “There’s still a fair bit of work in that transition space to make that journey easier, to connect veterans into support systems sooner.” “There has always been some sort of transition process upon leaving Defence. But the Royal Commission revealed that it was
a box-ticking exercise. It had become an administrative exercise, a checklist for discharge rather than a genuine effort to prepare someone for life after service.” While that process has improved, Ohlin says there is a much deeper challenge in helping people adjust after they leave an institution that has shaped almost every aspect of their adult lives. “In a lot of cases, Defence is the only thing veterans have ever known in terms of purpose,” he
15 says. “It has also managed their ongoing education and training, health care, and housing. Then, suddenly, that’s not the case. The civilian world is a different world. That can be quite a barrier.” For that reason, proper reform will take more time – Ohlin suggests a 10- to 15-year journey.
RSL NSW boosts advocacy Advocacy for veterans has long been a vital offering from RSL NSW, but it hasn’t always been consistent from sub-Branch to sub-Branch. Since the Royal Commission, veteran support has become a much deeper focus for RSL NSW. “We’ve stood up a Veteran Support team that offers services and support to veterans and their families, as well as upskilling people in sub-Branches and upskilling volunteer advocates, empowering them to be able to do better and more nationally consistent work in their communities,” Ohlin says. “This has had an enormous effect on RSL NSW and on how we operate day to day. That veteran support has become the core of what the State Branch does.” Ohlin says the growing number of support services, and the increasingly consistent and thorough knowledge about those services, makes RSL NSW volunteer advocates even more valuable to their veteran clients. “It also means we can better cater to particular cohorts,” he says. “The goal is to ensure veterans receive consistent guidance wherever they seek help.
“We want our people everywhere, from State Branch to subBranches, to know exactly what services are available and how to connect anybody who walks through the door to the services and support that they need.”
AT A G LA N C E
PROGRESS ON KEY PRIORITIES
What’s next? Through 2026 and 2027, effort will be invested in bedding in the new legislation and new agency, ensuring they deliver real, practical benefits. Meanwhile, the independent ESO peak body has a responsibility to improve coordination and collaboration across the sector. Further, the new Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner will provide oversight and drive systemic reform. “I’m interested to see how that plays out,” Ohlin says. “I think Penny McKay is a great operator. Over the next few months I’ll look forward to seeing how we can work with her to monitor and evaluate reform.” Finally, RSL NSW will do all it can to support the new Institute of Veterans’ Advocacy, which will help lift and bring greater consistency to fee-free advocacy. For Ohlin, the ultimate measure of the implementation of any Royal Commission recommendation is whether it improves the everyday experiences of veterans and their families. “It’s still not an easy journey for veterans at the moment,” he says. “But I’m encouraged by the direction of travel.”
Simpler claims system: A new entitlements Act has simplified and consolidated the previous, overwhelmingly complex legislative framework, making claims more straightforward.
Better access to support: The Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency has been established to improve access to vital services, in partnership with other ex-service organisations.
Stronger advocacy: RSL NSW has expanded its Veteran Support function, investing more in advocates and supporting initiatives to improve standards and consistency across fee-free advocacy.
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On the cover
IMAGE: Andrew Linturn
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BLAZING A TRAIL For many veterans, life after Defence is less about leaving service behind and more about creating entirely new ways to improve the lives of those who served beside them.
Words by Chris Sheedy
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aul Biddle has built a highly practical support service around one of the most ordinary problems that had been facing veterans in his community – lawn mowing. “I wanted to do something meaningful that has a tangible impact,” says Biddle, who served in Iraq and is now an RSL NSW member attached to the City of Wollongong RSL sub-Branch. Biddle had been speaking with fellow RSL NSW member Lachlan Stevens of Walk With Us
Kokoda, a recipient of funding via the RSL NSW Veteran Support Fund. The conversation revealed an opportunity to provide a practical service as well as wellbeing support. He established a free mowing service, now supported by several volunteers, for veterans living between the Sea Cliff Bridge and Kiama. In the past 12 months, they have mowed 500 lawns, including on veterans' properties and around two local memorials. “It’s not only about having their lawns mowed,” Biddle says. »
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On the cover VETERAN TRAILB
"We also do welfare checks, see how they are, that sort of thing. And on the flip side, the volunteers who mow the lawns get to engage with the community more as well.”
PAUL DE GELDER
When military service comes to an end, and uniforms are folded and packed away, a new chapter as a veteran begins. It often involves finding a new pathway or purpose. But for some such as Biddle, the instinct to lead, support and solve problems for those who have served is more enduring. It becomes a calling. Across the state and with the support of RSL NSW, many of the most powerful veteran assistance efforts, large and small, are run by veterans. By using what they learnt in the military, and from their experiences during their transitions out, these veterans apply their knowledge and insight to civilian life to continue to benefit others. They are advocates, mentors, volunteers and leaders. Some help fellow veterans navigate the complex processes of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). Others mentor young people considering Defence careers. Some preserve Australia’s military history for the powerful purpose of ensuring accurate information around what veterans experienced. Others show up
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LAZER
Paul de Gelder teaches others to adapt, face fear and manage risk.
to make life a little easier for a veteran who’s doing it tough. Each takes a different path in the name of the same underlying truth – that meaningful service does not finish when a person leaves Defence. It just changes.
A former Army paratrooper and Navy clearance diver whose life was dramatically altered after he lost a hand and a leg during a shark attack in Sydney Harbour, Paul de Gelder is now an author, television presenter and motivational speaker. He speaks globally with a message of resilience and optimism, teaching adaptability, risk management and how to face fear while embracing change.
He has spent decades helping veterans, educating children, supporting sporting clubs, and even developing and managing a mobile museum to inform people of the conditions Australian soldiers faced in Vietnam.
The result is larger than individual acts of generosity. It becomes a network of veterans using their knowledge and experience to help other veterans to thrive.
The travelling ‘Nambus’ museum was built to help preserve military history and became a valuable education source not just for school children, but also for DVA staff.
Lest we forget
“I was on the committee for the Vietnam Veterans Museums Association,” Heskett recalls when speaking with Reveille. “And being part of the foundation committee, we were tasked with the responsibility of acquiring, preserving and displaying historical artefacts to the public. »
For RSL NSW member and Vietnam veteran Garry Heskett, service never stopped. Once a mortarman with 4 RAR/ NZ (ANZAC) Battalion in Vietnam, Heskett has also been a police detective, ambulance o"cer and sports trainer. But most importantly, he’s a lifelong volunteer.
IMAGE: Supplied / Defence Imagery
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“Nambus was used as an educational tool to assist staff employed by DVA, so they could more closely understand and appreciate the conditions that have contributed to the veterans’ suffering." — Garry Heskett, Coffs Harbour RSL sub-Branch
Garry Heskett during his time in Defence and (inset) more recently at an RSL NSW event.
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20 On the cover
“Nambus was used as an educational tool to assist staff employed by DVA, so they could more closely understand and appreciate the conditions that have contributed to the veterans’ suffering.” When he became involved with the Camden RSL sub-Branch in the late '90s , Heskett quickly identified practical improvements that could better support older veterans. This led to the establishment of funeral funds and the fundraising of almost $1 million towards Australia’s Vietnam Veterans National Memorial. This year, he helped raise funds as part of the RSL NSW City2Surf team. So, why does Heskett continue to help veterans, so many decades after the end of the conflict in Vietnam?
and emotionally painful struggle for survival. Her struggle to secure support she was entitled to from DVA compounded her troubles. Dendle decided that she would do everything she could to prevent another veteran sharing her experience. As a Compensation and Wellbeing Advocate with RSL NSW, Dendle now helps veterans navigate complex processes to access as much support as possible. She walks beside them, she says, just as she was taught to do with her colleagues during 15 years in the Navy and Navy Reserve. “I can relate to my clients, having gone through the medical discharge, the transition and the grieving process that is leaving
“I’m a giver, not a receiver,” he says. “I just help people who are down on their luck. Having gone through some bad times, I find that it’s my duty to help them. “My whole life has been involved in helping the community and helping veterans. If I see something going on, then I change it for the better.”
Purpose never retires Having joined the Navy in 1998 and transferred to the Reserve a decade later with a medical waiver, Suz Dendle’s subsequent transition out of Defence had turned into an increasingly desperate, and often physically
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Suz Dendle spent 15 years in the Navy and Navy Reserve, and is now working with RSL NSW.
Defence, because that is huge,” she says. “No one really talks about that too much. Or it’s talked about, but nothing really around following up and actioning it.” Having earned an advanced diploma in tourism, Dendle planned to start a tourism business, but her health challenges forced her to reconsider. The flexibility of volunteering offered a way forward. This year, Dendle also began working one day a week with the RSL NSW Advocacy Support Program. It’s her first paid position since 2010. Dendle's experience gives her a powerfully clear understanding of what might lie beneath a veteran’s anger, confusion or despair.
“We’re not going to carry them. We’re not going to do everything for them. But at the same time we’re going to guide and mentor.” — Suz Dendle, Compensation and Wellbeing Advocate, RSL NSW
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Advocacy, she says, cannot be reduced to completing claims correctly. It involves helping somebody regain a sense of control and purpose in their life. “There’s a lot of coaching of positive mindset and outlook involved in the role,” she explains. “That’s a big part of things I’m working on with the mentoring side of it – holistic wellbeing, not just, ‘Let’s get the claim done'.”
“There’s someone who’s going to walk beside them, and that’s the key. We’re not going to carry them. We’re not going to do everything for them. But at the same time we’re going to guide and mentor. ‘I’ll walk beside you, mate. Let’s do this journey together. You’re not alone.’.” Volunteering helps her enormously, Dendle says. It gives her something she believes many veterans continue searching for long after leaving Defence. “It’s having meaningful, worthwhile work, something to do that gives you a sense of accomplishment, a sense of wellbeing, that sense of helping
VETERAN TRAILB
Part of Bennell-Pegg's role
LAZER
is inspiring junior engineers.
KATHERINE BENNELL-PEGG A qualified astronaut and a space systems engineer with the Australian Space Agency, Katherine Bennell-Pegg is a Group Captain (Reservist) with the RAAF, a Surf Life Saving South Australia volunteer and the 2026 Australian of the Year. Through her achievements and as a champion of STEM education, she inspires young Australians into careers in science and space, and mentors junior space engineers
“Where environments and people have really helped you grow, it’s all about passing it on and giving it back.” — Lachlan Cassidy, Castle Hill and District RSL sub-Branch others. I see too many people who, especially once they have transitioned out of Defence, are still seeking purpose.” Dendle’s advocacy and Heskett’s decades of volunteering prove that purpose after Defence is often found by looking outwards.
A veteran’s skills, experience and passion become most useful and most rewarding when they’re focused on the success of somebody else. That same idea is also attractive to veterans from the younger generations, including Lachlan »
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IMAGE: Supplied / Defence Imagery
Sometimes, Dendle can see the change in her client during their very first conversation. A veteran may arrive frustrated and convinced that there is no way forward. By the end, there is at least a plan, as well as somebody who is prepared to stay by their side as it all unfolds.
22 On the cover
Lachlan Cassidy (above left) at RSL LifeCare's Poppy Ball aboard HMAS Canberra (III), and (above right) at the Reserve Bank of Australia where he is a
Australia, Cassidy then entered the New Entry O"cers Course and conducted initial PQ training before attending the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA).
technology risk specialist.
Cassidy, who is sharing his experience in banking, technology risk and governance to strengthen RSL sub-Branches and mentor young people. The initiatives of volunteers like Cassidy and Biddle signal a further evolution in service for the benefit of other veterans. Younger members are not just joining established structures; they’re also using their RSL NSW connections to imagine what comes next.
He didn’t enjoy ADFA, so returned to direct entry for a year before opting out to do an economics degree. While Cassidy didn’t end up in Defence long-term, that two-anda-half years was enough to show him the value of the organisation and to convince him of its value in shaping a person’s life. It also gave him a powerful appreciation of those who have served and of the essential nature of the support mechanisms around them.
Australia, where he currently works as a technology risk specialist. For years, Cassidy had little involvement with RSL NSW. That changed when a neighbour suggested he attend a meeting of the Castle Hill and District RSL sub-Branch. At his first meetings he discovered that his subBranch and RSL NSW more broadly could benefit from the financial and technological expertise he had developed since his time in Defence. When an opportunity arose to join the board of RSL Custodian Pty Ltd and contribute financial expertise, he leapt at the chance.
Cassidy’s return to the veteran community was organic.
“I recognised all the military has given me, even post-military. So many opportunities and so many doors opened,” Cassidy says. “But I also recognised how hard it is to go from military to civilian life.”
“I’ve been on the board since March, reviewing investment strategies, products and how we share funds, challenging fund managers on whether we have the right spread, and more,” says Cassidy.
Having attended the King’s School, which boasts one of the oldest and largest cadet corps in
His civilian career took him into global banking in Malaysia and, later, to the Reserve Bank of
He has also gone back to the King’s School to volunteer, helping with the school’s
Knowledge enables leadership
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23
rowing program. Cassidy regularly speaks with the students about what a career in Defence looks like, and the benefits of a year or two in the military as a sort of gap year. Cassidy says attracting younger members will require RSL sub-Branches to communicate their value to the entire community more effectively, creating clear and highly visible pathways for participation. “Sub-Branches have so much more potential to bring in a lot more younger members, adding more energy and fuel to events and community,” he says. Biddle shares Cassidy's calling to give back to veterans. “One of the old guys, I found out, was fortnightly paying $120-150 to have his lawns mowed,” he says. The free lawn moving service Biddle offers does not depend on pensions or means testing. Instead, it begins with a simple question: does the veteran need help? Veterans are often referred by sub-Branch Presidents. “We have mowed lawns for a guy who couldn’t afford to buy a lawnmower,” Biddle says. “He was just going through a tough time; he actually came out and helped us.” The venture has been supported by Wollongong Mazda, which supplied a BT-50 dual-cab ute to transport the team and its equipment to jobs.
It has also begun to inspire other young veterans, near and far.
Paul Biddle during his time in Defence and supporting his community now.
“There are some guys up in the Blue Mountains who have started to run some tests and applied for some grants,” Biddle says. “There have also been some chats with some guys in Queensland about doing something similar.” Cassidy and Biddle demonstrate two sides of veteran leadership. One brings professional insight into governance and institutional renewal. The other starts with an unmet need and builds an elegant but simple solution around it. Both perceive leadership to be less
about authority and more about usefulness. They demonstrate that there is room within RSL NSW to shape and create, rather than inherit, the next form of service. “I think it’s important to reflect on the communities and the people who made you who you are today,” Cassidy says. “Where environments and people have really helped you grow, it’s all about passing it on and giving it back.”
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24 Commemoration feature
A LEGACY OF DETERMINATION In the lead up to the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, veterans who were there reflect on their memories, the losses and a legacy of determination.
Words by Girard Dorney
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T
he men are having lunch on the edge of a rubber plantation near Long Tan, South Vietnam. It’s 18 August 1966, and D Company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) has just relieved B Company. They are following up on the previous day’s mortar attack on Nui Dat base. The Viet Cong tends to hit and run, so no one expects much. They don't know that for every one of them there are between 10 and 20 Vietnamese fighters up ahead. So they drink coffee and eat their canned meat. Some remember hearing the teen pop of Little Pattie and Col Joye — a concert back at base they were to attend until the last moment. D Company veteran Terry Ryan says that the music being in earshot is why Long Tan is remembered as a heroic stand and not something far worse. “We were close enough to the base that we were still within artillery range,” he says. Alan Parr, a machine gunner in 12 Platoon, doesn’t remember the music. Different sounds stick. First a burst of guns, from Australians at a few Viet Cong, then a lull. “All of a sudden, there was this tremendous fire,” says Parr. “You’ve never heard anything like it in your life – like a freight train coming through the rubber trees.” It’s 11 Platoon being hit by heavy machine gun and small arms fire.
It would be some time before he knew how awful it was. “You’re only in your own little group,” says Parr. “A lot of Long Tan I never knew 'til years later.” Famous events are pored over until the legend is more or less agreed. Meanwhile the people who lived it keep their own versions. A soldier who rates a single line in a bestseller might hold a place of honour in a veteran’s retelling.
The fog of war “Lying in the mud,” says Ryan, when asked for a strong memory.
“It was like a freight train coming through the rubber trees.” — Alan Parr, D Company “You weren’t game to stand up unless you were retreating.” Ryan was shot in the arm, the round thankfully weakened by rubber trees. “I actually pulled the bullet out and gave it to my platoon commander to hold for me,” he says. Ryan still has it. Parr would get his own close call. “It was about a foot in front of my head. The bullet went through the barrel of my machine gun, so I was there with no weapon.”»
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27
For many in D Company, Long Tan was the first experience of combat. Parr’s stories — such as seeing Viet Cong but being told not to fire for fear they were Australian reinforcements — capture the confusion throughout the afternoon. Of the 18 Australians who died at Long Tan, 11 were conscripts. The majority of the wounded were conscripts too. Their lives were transformed or cut short because their birthdates were on numbered balls pulled from a hand-spun barrel.
(above, l–r) Alan Parr and Doug Langlands in Albury on Vietnam Veterans Day (right, l–r) 6RAR veterans
The only member of 12 Platoon to die at Long Tan was also a conscript: Paul Large, forward scout in 7 Section. Large and Parr met during training and were in the same tent at Nui Dat. “We nearly broke the record, me and him, for the obstacle course at Canungra,” says Parr, who had forgotten it until many years later. “He wrote it in a letter to his parents: ‘Bluey’ Parr just beat me over the line in the scramble.”
Service and debts 6RAR remains an active battalion. So it’s fitting that Glen Babington CSC, who commanded 6RAR in 2002–03, delivered the address when RSL NSW commemorated Vietnam Veterans’ Day and 60 years since Long Tan, at the Cenotaph in Martin Place, Sydney, on the morning of Tuesday 18 August 2026. “Long Tan is a hallowed day in the battalion because of the significant loss, but also because
Arthur Waters, Barry Frank Vassella and Alan Parr walked the Kokoda Trail.
“I actually pulled the bullet out and gave it to my platoon commander.” — Terry Ryan, D Company Veteran of the audacity and sheer determination that the soldiers showed,” Babington, also an RSL NSW Director, says.
the Penrith sub-Branch Auxiliary rang every week. Babington says that veteran advocacy is at the core of the League's mission.
Like so many Vietnam veterans, Ryan felt rejection when he first came home, an experience Babington doesn’t soften.
“The RSL is not just about supporting veterans," he says. "It’s also about championing what they bring to the community, industry and society.”
"It's a matter of national shame that [Australians] didn't support veterans returning from a war the government sent them to," he says. But when Ryan spent a month in hospital recently, a member of
The men who survived Long Tan were not frozen in that moment. They’ve lived full lives, and kept up with old comrades for six decades through the RSL, other ex-service organisations and informal check-ins. »
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28 Commemoration feature
3:40PM 4:08PM
small VC squad and, not realising a larger force lies ahead, pushes deeper into the plantation, more Alan Parr in Vietnam
than 300m from 10 Platoon and 500m from Company HQ.
“They’re more like brothers, close mates,” Ryan says. Parr was a welder, then worked at his wife's family's private hospital before running Merino sheep near Boggabri. Ryan was a police o"cer for 10 years, joined the US class action lawsuit about the use of Agent Orange and other chemicals in Vietnam, and ended his career in transport.
4:25PM 10 Platoon advances to relieve the pressure, surprises a Vietnamese platoon from behind and breaks up its flanking attack. It is then engaged from three sides and eventually
“We were just caught up in something and did what we had to do.” — Alan Parr, D Company
ordered back to Company HQ.
6:00PM Two RAAF Iroquois
What debt is owed to men who walked into a rubber plantation and came out icons of history? They don’t seem to want much. Asked for a message to pass on to RSL NSW members, Parr and Ryan politely declined.
drop ammunition through torrential rain. After 12 Platoon marks its location with smoke, most of 11 Platoon's survivors break contact, link up with it and withdraw
“If any of the other fellas from the other companies had been there instead of us, it would have been the same,” says Parr. “We were just caught up in something and did what we had to do.”
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to Company HQ.
THE LONG HOURS
11 Platoon fires on a
Heavy machine-gun fire erupts. Within 20 minutes, more than a third of 11 Platoon is dead or wounded. Artillery, called through New Zealand observer Morrie Stanley, is walked to the attackers. Second Lieutenant Gordon Sharp is killed while standing to better observe and direct the artillery fire. Sergeant Bob Buick takes command.
5:15PM D Company commander Major Harry Smith sends two sections of 12 Platoon towards the isolated 11 Platoon. They collide with troops closing the gap behind it.
6:25–7:10PM M113s carrying A Company fight through D445 Battalion troops and reach D Company at last light. The Vietnamese withdraw. Sweeps over the next few days report 245 enemy dead, although the figure remains contested.
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30 Chapter spotlight
"Running is only the start," Chapter Coordinator Dave Wight says. "My favourite moments are noticing the interactions that happen afterwards over coffee, when people chat with others outside of their normal walk of life ... The activities are a catalyst to finding a new community.”
A NEW CHAPTER FOR MURRUMBATEMAN Just outside Canberra, a community stacked with Defence families and other veterans who’ve moved to the area post-transition has just gained its own RSL Chapter, providing a local touchpoint alongside support from the nearby Yass RSL sub-Branch.
Words by Lachlan Haycock
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A
group of young veterans in the Southern Tablelands has banded together to form the newest Chapter in the RSL NSW network. The Murrumbateman RSL Chapter is o"cially part of the RSL subBranch in Yass, a 20-minute drive north up the Barton Highway. The Chapter offers a vital gathering place for the growing veteran community in Murrumbateman, which is popular with Defence families – the country’s capital is 40km south. The process of starting up the Chapter began around ANZAC Day this year. “A bunch of us here at the sub-Branch saw an opportunity to work with veterans in Murrumbateman to give them their own community and identity,” says Nathan Stapleton, Secretary of the Yass RSL sub-Branch. After bringing the proposal to the sub-Branch’s members – who voted “unanimously” in favour, according to Stapleton – and with the support of RSL NSW, the path to establishing the Chapter was clear. The next step was identifying a suitable Chapter Coordinator. In Stapleton’s eyes, there was only one person for the job.
Community benefits Dave Wight is an avid runner. After leaving the Army three
“Rather than going big with our activities, our aim is to create intimate events that cater to the area’s veteran demographic.” — Nathan Stapleton, Secretary, Yass RSL sub-Branch years ago and moving to the local area from Sydney, he set about finding a running group to join.
Stapleton describes Wight as “the perfect choice” for Coordinator of the new Chapter.
“I found on Facebook a group of fellow runners,” he explains. “Together we started We Run Murrumbateman, which now organises regular 5km runs around town.
“As an organiser of We Run Murrumbateman and also as president of the town’s Little Athletics, he’s connected with grassroots community groups and understands the open-doors ethos of the RSL,” Stapleton says.
“What stood out to me from the start was the abundance of current and ex-Defence personnel in the group. And for every currently serving member living in the region, there's an ex-serving veteran who’s moved to the area as well, who might be doing Defence contracting work or be part of the public service in Canberra.” As Coordinator of the Murrumbateman Chapter, Wight invites all veterans, including Defence personnel, to join informal coffee catch-ups following group running sessions. “People come out here from the bigger cities – like I did – because they’re seeking a sense of community and familiarity,” he says. “And I find that exDefence personnel have a unique ability to make new friends, which is heartwarming.”
Rather than require people to be members of RSL NSW before they join a Chapter event, Wight deliberately waits until they’ve witnessed what membership looks like – and the connections to community that result – before asking the question. “I think that’s a sound way of doing things, because he’s attempting to demonstrate the value of membership first,” says Stapleton. “We’ve found that to be effective so far.”
The real RSL Murrumbateman is not the only Chapter in the sub-Branch’s network. The town of Gunning, east of Yass, is also home to a passionate group of veterans and families, with its own Chapter. Stapleton believes that small local Chapters are a »
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32 Chapter spotlight
good way of catering to the community’s needs. “Yass is a small but capabilityrich sub-Branch,” he says. “So rather than going big with our activities, our aim is to create intimate events that cater to the area’s veteran demographic. That’s the unique service offering of the Murrumbateman and Gunning Chapters.”
“By opening up the Murrumbateman Chapter, we can show what RSL NSW is really about.” — Dave Wight, Coordinator, Murrumbateman Chapter
What do these more intimate events look like? “There are a lot of people in my age group – that 30-50 bracket – who are either still serving in the military or transitioning out," Stapleton says. "They're attracted more to running meetups or similar activities than to formal meetings.” Future plans for the Murrumbateman Chapter include getting veterans involved in the family dinners organised by the sub-Branch – designed to connect more people who wouldn’t otherwise meet. “By opening up the Murrumbateman Chapter, we can show what RSL NSW is really about,” says Wight. “For many members, being a part of RSL NSW is about going to the pub, catching up with mates and talking about the old days, maybe with a game of bingo thrown in. That’s absolutely necessary for some people, because that’s how they best communicate with their friends.
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Murrumbateman, in the Yass Valley, is home to approximately 3,600 people and several wineries.
“But for many younger veterans, particularly those living in and around Yass, their preferences are different. This is a simple broadening of the way RSL NSW reaches people, not a replacement.” Wight also sees genuine improvements in the physical health of veterans and family members who attend. “One of the fathers, who is exNavy, has gone from being able to run for only a few minutes at a
time to completing the full 5km with us. That’s outstanding. “And running is only the start. My favourite moments are noticing the interactions that happen afterwards over coffee, when people chat with others outside of their normal walk of life. There might be a family member of a veteran talking to a former soldier who served for 26 years. “The activities are a catalyst to finding a new community.”
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34 Community Relations Partner
BREAK THE BORDER Meet the newest RSL NSW Community Relations Partner standing ready to provide local, on-the-ground support to sub-Branches.
Words by Lachlan Haycock
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R
SL NSW Community Relations Partners (CRPs) are dedicated regional liaisons who support, upskill and connect RSL sub-Branches with resources to better serve their veteran communities. Keaton Johnson is the newest to join the ranks, and works with sub-Branches in the Murray region. His role is made possible through a generous RSL Victoria funding agreement, and both State branches work together closely to ensure the CRP position on the Riverina is a success on both sides of the border.
Johnson sat down with Reveille to outline what motivates him and how he supports sub-Branches on the NSW-Victoria border. Tell us about your background in community services, and how that influenced your decision to become a CRP. Keaton Johnson: “I spent five years managing a disability service in northern NSW before my family and I decided to move back to Albury. Since then, I've been managing the community development team at the local council. My duties with council included administering grants and funding programs, and supporting the council’s work for people with disabilities in the multicultural community. “It sounds like a corny cliche, but I love working with people. I enjoy providing people with opportunities to
improve their lives. Being on the ground and seeing the tangible improvements in people's wellbeing is what I seek. That’s exactly what I get to do as a CRP.” How important is it for subBranches to collaborate? KJ: “In many locations along the border, pairs of towns – often with a population under 5,000 – have sub-Branches that don’t collaborate. They work in their own bubbles. “Part of my job is to help those sub-Branches break out of their bubbles. If RSL sub-Branches in NSW and Victoria are talking and collaborating more often, they can organise events in conjunction with each other, sharing the load to increase the impact they can have locally. Because at the end of the day, people living in Albury, like me, travel across the border regularly to access different services. The same goes for people living in Wodonga. “The RSL shouldn’t be any different. Veterans and their family members can access support at sub-Branches wherever they reside.” Does this collaboration also build community awareness? KJ: “That’s right. There’s a real opportunity to build the awareness of sub-Branches. For
instance, many sub-Branches in NSW are embracing the RSL NSW Sport & Recreation Program, and in Victoria they’re participating in RSL Active. Together, sub-Branches can use both programs and get the message out, louder, to veterans including current Defence personnel locally. “Sub-Branches do so much more than organise commemorations on ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day. And I'm helping them bring those activities to more people locally.” For those unfamiliar with the CRP role, how would you sum up the impact it has in the veteran community? KJ:“At the end of the day, CRPs exist to make the lives of sub-Branch volunteers easier, and to increase their impact without increasing their work. "We’re the ‘boots on the ground’ sub-Branches can work directly with to find answers to di"cult questions, locate a service to help a local veteran, or understand resources available. We’re subBranches’ one-stop shop. “For those sub-Branches that might be struggling with a challenge or looking to reach new members, contact a CRP in your area. We'll support you.”
SCAN the QR code to read an interview with another CRP, Jono Tuckfield, who says the role is “one of the best jobs in the world”.
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36 Sub-Branch news
G U LG O N G C O LE D A LE
SURF COMP CONNECTS CURRENT AND EX-SERVING PERSONNEL A surf competition organised by the Coledale RSL sub-Branch serves as an example of what can be achieved when a sub-Branch collaborates with local community organisations. The all-are-welcome event saw competing teams drawn from organisations such as Veteran Surf Project, Zero79 Foundation, ADF Surfriders, B Company and 4/3 RNSWR. The event reached a broader audience after being promoted via the RSL NSW Sport & Recreation Program calendar. “The inaugural Coledale RSL Winter Chill was only possible thanks to the support of local volunteers, community organisations, sponsors and the visiting teams who travelled to participate,” said sub-Branch President Michael Connor.
Current Defence personnel were among those who braved the winter chill.
SCAN the QR code to find out more about the RSL NSW Sport and Recreations Program, and to see tips to help sub-Branches organise successful activities.
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BUILDING BELONGING IN THE BUSH Words by Kathryn Hodgkinson, Community Relations Partner
Waking to a windscreen covered in ice wasn’t what I expected in late March, but it turned out to be the perfect start to a memorable day. I set off from Orange for the three-hour drive to Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve, the venue for a family hike organised by the Gulgong RSL sub-Branch. The walk wound through beautiful bushland with plenty of opportunities to take in the scenery, and memorable wildlife encounters included a goanna, a lyrebird and a wallaby. The connections formed stood out most. I had the privilege of meeting truly inspiring people, including a young veteran who shared her plans to establish an equine therapy program. I felt grateful to be part of the event – a wonderful reminder of the value of connection, fresh air and shared experiences, and I’m already looking forward to the sub-Branch’s next walk.
Submit your sub-Branch news and images news@rslnsw.org.au
37
CI TY OF OR AN GE
STANDING TOGETHER
Veterans and families
HUSKISSON
enjoyed the social morning tea event.
A FEAST FOR ALL
The commemoration service was held at the Orange
The Huskisson RSL sub-Branch organised an inclusive social morning tea event that attracted veterans young and old. Members enjoyed a relaxed catch-up over a cup of coffee and with scones and classic ANZAC biscuits. A pair of rainbow lorikeets even made an appearance to the group’s delight. The sub-Branch thanked the team at Huskisson Bakery Cafe for its generous hospitality.
Cenotaph in Robertson Park.
The City of Orange RSL sub-Branch held a poignant commemoration service for veterans of the Middle East Area of Operations.
ENGADINE
SHIRE SMILES The spirit of the RSL NSW Sport & Recreation Program was on show at Sutherland 2 Surf. Team members, hailing from RSL sub-Branches including Engadine and Miranda, ranged from young adults to those in their 70s, with everyone enjoying a day of connection, community and wellbeing.
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38 Last Post
VALE REGINALD CHARD OAM Australia's last known veteran of the Kokoda campaign of WWII, Reginald James Chard OAM, died in Sydney aged 102 on 24 July. Mr Chard, an RSL NSW member attached to Bass Hill RSL sub-Branch, enlisted in the Australian Army as an 18-year-old in 1942. He fought through the mountains of New Guinea, surviving malaria at Eora Creek and the fierce fighting at Sanananda. Returning home, Reg built a life with his beloved Betty and spent considerable time commemorating and honouring his mates. Through many school visits and community events, he inspired generations through his stories and unwavering spirit. We extend our deepest condolences to Reg's family and friends.
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“LEST WE FORGET” Remembering the service and bravery of those who have served our country.
39 NAVY ALFORD, GK S114830 BELL, AJ R62955 BISHOP, KA R51473 BRADSHAW, JN 33456 BRONIMAN, R S130823 BURROWS, KM R42159 BUTTERWORTH, MR R52848 CANE, J S132154 CLIFFE, MR 4 S118063 COLEMAN, A 8565166 COLLINS, WP R50751 COSTELLO, KJ R143851 CROMPTON, LF R51429 CRUICKSHANK, GL S132801 CULLINAN, B R52172 DAY, RG R52174 DONNELLY, KG R55767 DUCHESNE, TR N2945 DUNSTAN, RJ R54322 EAGAN, KP R59490 FULLER, HE R50845 FULLERTON, LM R55023 HOSWELL, AW R52202 JENKINS, DW R59589 JOHNSON, AE S/5597 JOLIFFE, LJ R64456 JONES, RM O2176 KINGSTON, AU R57568 LAIRD, D R36311 LANGE, KB 126398 LENNARD, PR R15481 LEWIS, MJ R49777 LOVE, RD R128510 LUXFORD, RD R49320 LYNCH, JD A48329 MCGHIE, NC S/7699 MCINTYRE, TD R107213 MCLENNAN, BA R65890 MILLER, ME R50783 MORONEY, J R52939 MORRITT, RV, 788 MOULDS, CW R107519 NIHILL, ST R95011 PARKER, FC 117648 PERKINS, RM R96083 PETERSON, KJ R35765 PUNG, BW R62059
REED, R 47654 RIDDOCK, JN R65256 ROBERTSON, PJ R62793 SHORT, JM 8616 SKINNER, RT R95654 SKYRING, SD R120304 SMITH, RE S134953 SMITH, JO R62223 SMITH, GW R104725 SPENCER, DA R63053 STELTENPOOL, R R109517 STERLING, WJ S/9208 STRATTON, K R111651 TAYLOR, D R52129 THOMAS, RJ R52716 THOMSON, KT R44040 TRAYNOR, DG PM.969605 WARDLE, KR R93603 WARREN, DJ R96105 WATKINS, P R66039 WEBSTER, RK A101886 WILLARD, PM R63920 WINDLE, PF S10018 WINSOR, C 127673
ARMY ABBOTT, BV 3791025 ALLER, RG 2/731823 ALMOND, B 219124 ANDERSON, AT, 2790588 ANDREWS, GR 221140 APLIN, FW 2/775110 ARMFIELD, DK, 230675 BAILEY, LF 43462 BALE, WJL 18333 BARTLETT, CJ 237833 BASSETT, RF 31517 BATES, JF, 1411210 BAYLY, BB 254223 BECUS, JW 2792328 BEGGS, PJ 225251 BEST, LJ 6708739 BLACKALL, R 2/125065 BOYCE, KW 2251501 BOYLE, AA NX79615 BRAY, GC NX178176 BROWN, IW 256073 CAIN, AP 2783113 CAUSE, JR 2785077
CHARD, RJ NX134343 CLAYDON, KP 214891 CLISSOLD, L 2116214 COATES, DN 2905084 COLE, HC 256962 COOK, RA 2791634 COOK, DJ 3790572 COTTER, PP 36210 CREUSOT, JE 55891 CROFT, CR 2781738 CROKER, AC NX153809 CUMMINGS, DL 16092 CUNNINGHAM, AR NX154102 CZISLOWSKI, GS 1734727 DEE, BR 2795661 DEEBANK, D 2790682 DICKSON, GD 2/400613 DUFTY, MJ 217387 DUNFORD, RW 2794407 ELLIOTT, HJ 2787898 FENWICK, BA 2794955 FERRIS, RC 2790693 FLANAGAN, RJ 29426 FORNARO, S 551382 GEORGE, D 2785793 GIBBONS, KR 2205709 GIBSON, GC 2/762209 GILES, JH 2/411361 GOUGH, DA 36077 GRAY, PE 2790123 GREENAN, RM 2758249 GRUBB, JC 2788727 HABGOOD, D, 39537 HAINES, BR 212016 HAMPTON, DJ NX180019 HAPP, PD 5714101 HARRIS, VJ 2783122 HARRISON, WR 2792668 HARTCHER, M 108009 HAYLETT, RJ NX503715 HAZELL, DE 2174012 HEIECK, EL 313827 HENDERSON, RS 2187446 HERGENHAN, KW 214330 HESSEY, SJ 143967 HIRON, DJ 766351 HOENIG, D 216711 HUNTER, AG 38388 IM, B 2794601 JAMES, M VFX129321 » rslnsw.org.au
40 Last Post JOHNSON, KP 216425 JOHNSON, DG 1411070 JORDAN, T 2781859 KENNEDY, BP 1200290 KENNEDY, PJ 2791998 KERRY, JS NX203742 KILBOURNE, JW 2782221 KING, M W/388335 LACKEY, PJ 2786937 LAMBORN, MJ 335002 LARTER, P 18330 LATHAM, PJ 2797085 LAUDER, BA 1410891 LEHMANN, JE 2781731 LEWIS, HW QX63496 LLOYD, D, 22368259 LUHR, CA NX206189 LYMBURN, RM 42327 MACDONALD, JA 2267898 MALIPHANT, JR 2784257 MARQUETT, GE 2412404 MATTHEWS, LD 1731821 MATTHEWS, JMS F3/41 MCDONALD, EN NX106242 MCINERNEY, RM 2791235 MCLARTY, AP 3157744 MCMAHON, PJ 2731073 MILLER, WH 2788821 MORRIS, RJ 2789748 MORROW, G 231450 MOULTON, PRF 2/3576 MURPHY, KT 29549 O'BRYAN, DJ 2788099 ORFORD, RG 2412492 OSBORNE, AF 1732194 OWEN, GA,2794188 PAPANDREAS, JC 2117106 PATTERSON, GR 215604 PAXTON, DJ 2783084 PAYSENO, LG 22881 PHILP, BJ 44356 PIKE, RJ 253322 POBJE, DW 1737149 PRITCHARD, RG 220639 PROUD, D 140069
READING, VE 1200361 RICHTER, G 4/2286 ROBERTS, H 22908147 RODGERS, WO 43481 RUSSELL, WAC VX76443 RUSSELL, R PLYX115931 RYAN, JT 1731039 RYAN, NJ 235776 RYAN, JG 256887 SCHMIDT, SGH 58989 SCOTT, BW NX174430 SCOTT, EJ 217106 SHARP, LH 13828 SHAW, RC 2785005 SHIPP, BR 217176 SHORT, RJ 2781978 SINCLAIR, LJ QX58656 SLAUGHTER RE 5/8520 SMITH, LN 24332 SMITH, JF 44828 SMITH, WG 43115 SOLOMONS, K NX123386 SPICE, MW 2789898 STANLEY, WR 2/401415 STEWART, RW 235156 STORER, WJ 2135650 TAVENER, JT NX180011 THORNELL, CH 317342 THURGAR, KD 2782330 TOUCHARD, NP 218456 TRIMMER, OH 2786832 VANDINE, WC 15313 VINCENT, J F25737 VIZZONE, DM 2781423 WAIGHT, MJ 2782133 WALLACE, RB QX28389 WALTON, B NF482371 WARD, A 17248 WATERS, MB 53132 WATSON, HF 415331 WEBB, GR 331590 WEST, GJ 2789958 WHIPP, A,217134 WHITELEY, PA 2782401 WILD, BA 265244
WILLIAMS, DC 24300637 WILLIAMS, DJ 1205198 WILLINGHAM EJ 312677 WILSON, PT 1735281 WINTER, AG 28070 WRIGHT, WC 217121
AIR FORCE ANDERSON, DRG 132755 ANDERSON, ND A12976 BARNES, Y W42561 BARNIE, JE A219503 BATES, BEW A216468 BATGER, CS A222132 BENNETT, HE 74443 BENNY, BF A218203 BRUCE-MULLINS, A A46617 BULL, AT A221946 CARSWELL, IT 32441 CARUANA, JM A46002 CLARK, ML 3119305 COLBEY, PF A4511 COOPER, GG 219964 COSGROVE, PM 176424 CUMMINGS, MD A225585 CURTIS, GF 70658 DARKE, SWF A25072 DONOVAN, GH A25101 DOWLING, DW 444542 DURIE, DJ 166544 ELSHAW, AJ A55374 FRASER, AJ A18456 FROST, LC A21875 GOLDER, PR A62112 HALL, NVW 433592 HARRISON, PJ 24987 HEATH, DH 435080 HOBBS, JJ 431357 JOHNSTON, GA 73700 JONES, A A222353 JORDAN, MF A240486 KINNEALLY, CLG 79995 LACEY, KR A219466
LAWSON, N A322221 LE CREN, NG 80184 LECKIE, RH, 424493 LECKIE, JW 1825670 LEE, R A124875 LEES, LJ A216061 LOURENS, JJ A315815 LYLE, JGB , 59992 MARTIN, AB A19983 MCCAHON, M 432694 MILLER, H LL2735410 MOORE, KJ A218813 MORRIS, A 127830 NEIL, ED 31339 NEWSON, OJ A24715 PETERSON, KH R55253 PETITH, WS A221505 PIERCE, WA 422292 PIGGOTT, ME 444806 ROBERTS, LM 434428 ROUEN, JC A224606 ROWE, GL A224745 RUTHERFORD, HG O317276 RYAN, MJ A229934 SCOTT, RJS A224414 SEAVER, SRK O.35113 STAATS, JB O33754 TIMMINS, G 439673 TUCKER (NEE WOODCOCK), RL W223369 WATTERS, DG 72288 WHALE, GN A314605 WHICHELO, AB 139722 WHITE, RW A321175 WHITTINGTON, CD R120090 WILKINSON, SR 240274 WOODGER, S A223135 ZAMMIT-ROSS, AM A315936
MERCHANT NAVY ROWAN-ROBINSON, A NQ109566
The information contained in the Last Post has been provided by the DVA and RSL members. Where possible we have attempted to provide all service details. We regret any missing information.
rslnsw.org.au
Standing together for veterans and their families Honouring service through action RSL LifeCare was founded in 1911 with a simple purpose: to support veterans in times of need. More than a century later, that commitment remains unchanged. Today, we walk alongside veterans and their families through life's challenges and transitions, providing care, support, housing, wellbeing services and community connection when it's needed most. Thanks to the continued support of RSL NSW and its Sub-Branches, we can deliver life-changing services at no cost to the veterans and families who rely on them. Your support helps RSL LifeCare deliver:
Wellbeing Support
Employment Support
Housing & Homelessness Support
Financial Support & Advocacy
Community Connection
Mental health and tailored programs including Spur Ranch that help rebuild confidence, resilience and connection.
Career support, training and transition services that help veterans and families build a secure future.
Safe accommodation through Homes for Heroes and practical housing assistance for those experiencing hardship.
Financial aid and claims advocacy, easing the burden of bills, medical treatment and daily essentials.
Veteran & Family Hubs where thousands of veterans and families access support, companionship and a sense of belonging each year.
Your donation makes a direct impact. Every contribution helps a veteran rebuild stability, dignity and hope. rsllifecare.org.au/donate
42 Snapshot
RSL NSW CITY2SURF TEAM SUNDAY 9 AUGUST 2026 More than 300 keen walkers and runners joined the RSL NSW City2Surf Team for the iconic annual event, raising awareness of the support, services and community available to veterans and their families throughout the state.
SCAN the QR code to read about the RSL NSW City2Surf Team's achievements and see more photos from the day.
rslnsw.org.au
Free tools to help you reach local veterans ran e of romotional tools is a ailable to sub-Branches to reach out to eterans in their community, romote ser ices and su ort, and encoura e them to oin
o nload, rint or order on-brand resources from the ember ortal isit the ents and romotional ools section to find
NEW
assets added, customisable for your sub-Branch!
Promotional material, includin si na e, osters, and banners, to hel you romote your sub-Branch to local eterans and their families Social media resources, templates and guides to ma e it easier for your sub-Branch to connect ith community online Event collateral to romote your meetin s, ort ecreation ro ram, and social e ents and build your eteran community A new member welcome kit, to turn interest into membershi and acti e sub-Branch in ol ement
can the code to ie the ember ecruitment ool it and instructions on ho to order
Need help accessing the resources? our friendly ember u ort eam is on hand to assist! all
THE MOBILE FOOT CLINIC THAT COMES TO YOU
ARE YOU A VETERAN? WITH FOOT & KNEE RELATED ISSUES? MOBILE PODIATRIST SYDNEY,, ILLAWARRA & CENTRAL COAST
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
0493 367 109
INFO@THEMOBILEFOOTCLINIC.COM. AU
General nail and foot care. including corns, calluses and ingrown toe nails Management of foot/ankle/heel and knee pain Prescribed Medical Grade Footwear/Orthotics
DVA Health Cards (Gold) are accepted as payment upon G GP referral We also take care of organising your GP referral for a seamless experience.