The RSL Living History Project has recently been travelling through the Upper South West Region with trips to Narrogin, Collie, Harvey Western Australia
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| Bunbury Sub Branch Hall today |
The interest expressed in the sub branch and the League was evident with newspaper articles at the time devoting a good deal of space to explaining the aims and purpose of the organisation. In the South West Times August 28 1917 edition, the RSA, as it was known at the time, was said to be established for the following aims;
“To promote the general welfare and protect the interests of returned soldiers and sailors and their dependents……To make enquiries as to what employment is available for members of the association.”
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| Bunbury War Memorial |
The first action of the sub branch was to host a Ball in the Lyric Theatre. The aim of the ball was fundraising and to promote the association. The call for the formation of a ladies committee to help with the catering was also made at the time. Bunbury from the outset involved itself in League policy, proposing in 1937 that membership be widened for all of His Majesty’s forces and not necessarily only those who served overseas.
At a community level, the Bunbury sub branch saw a role for the League in the development of the State as a whole, according to an article in the Albany Advertiser 21 March 1929. Bunbury Sub Branch petitioned the Bunbury Municipal Council for the establishment of a free public library service in Bunbury. Initially proposed as the ‘Servicemens Memorial Library’, the Library was supported by the Apex Club and the Bunbury Municipal Council.
The Bunbury Municipal Memorial Library opened on the 23rd of October 1952 and was run by a committee on which the RSL was a member. Unfortunately we don’t know too many details about the library and have no pictures or details on the location. We do know that the library was closed in the early 1970’s when the new library was opened.
