FOOTSCRAY will host an Anzac Day march and memorial service this year for the first time in more than a decade as the rejuvenation of the local RSL sub-branch continues.
As late as August last year, the Footscray sub-branch was slated for closure due to dwindling membership numbers.
The sub-branch started after World War I and by the early 1920s had about 1400 members.
It merged with the Vietnamese Veterans Association of Victoria in 2008 and now its 130 members are former servicemen and women from both nations.
“In recent years, the future of the Footscray RSL sub-branch has looked very shaky indeed and there was a genuine threat of it being closed down as non-workable,” vice-president John Arnold said.
“We even had members cancelling their membership and taking it to other sub-branches as they thought that it had already been closed down.”
Citing Mark Twain, Mr Arnold reminds the doubters that rumours of its demise have been greatly exaggerated. He said the service was the latest step veterans were taking in reinvigorating the sub-branch and making it relevant to all veterans in the Footscray area.
Mr Arnold said RSL Victoria state president Major General (retd) David McLachlan had assured the branch it supported the efforts to keep it going.
The committee wanted to repay that goodwill. “With our limited room and lack of facilities, it’s difficult to attract new members,” Mr Arnold said, “but we would be very welcoming of any of the younger veterans of the armed forces from the various and many overseas deployments of recent years as well as serving members of those forces who may wish to join us in the relevant categories.”
The branch offers computer and language help, and there are plans to bring back counter meals.
The march starts at 1.45pm on Saturday,
April 21, from Barkly Street and heads to the
sub-branch on Geelong Road for a 2pm service.
Details: 96872533 or footscrayrsl@iinet.net.au
