Williamstown RSL will hold an Anzac Day dawn service despite being “in no man’s land” without a club.
The sub-branch dissolved after its club, at the corner of Ferguson Street and Melbourne Road, was last year forced to close due to a multi-million dollar debt.
The club was subsequently placed in voluntary administration before being sold to a childcare centre developer to recoup a $3.5million debt.
Former Williamstown RSL vice president Bob Pearman said former members were determined to continue their traditional dawn service.
“It is going to happen: rain, hail or shine – we are having a dawn service,” he said.
“The group has really drifted apart, we don’t see many of the people like we used to.
“I know the group that I was involved with – there’s probably a dozen or so of us – we’re in no man’s land.
“The biggest difficulty we have is, we’ve got no resources any more, we’ve got no revenue.
“Thanks to some very generous businesses, we’re able to finance the dawn service.”
Hobsons Bay Yacht Club opposite the Williamstown cenotaph will host a gunfire breakfast after the 6am service.
Victorian RSL chief operations officer Brian Cairns had said the sub-branch must repay $1.77 million of its debt, owed by the trading arm, before it could re-establish.
State president Robert Webster said the community was running the dawn service.
“Williamstown RSL Sub-Branch Inc is in liquidation,” he said.
“Until that is fully resolved, we are not going to do anything regarding a sub-branch.”
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said he was hopeful the sub-branch could rebuild.
“The closure of the Williamstown RSL has left a big hole, but I’m hoping that hole will only be temporary,” he said.
“There is enough goodwill and support in this community to re-establish an RSL in Williamstown.
“Big numbers always turn out for our local dawn service and I expect this year will be no different.”
