Treasures from the Great Southern Region

Possibly the first membership badge for the organisation.  In Western Australia, the Returned Soldiers Association was formed prior to joining the National League in 1918.  We don't have much information about the RSA but was shown a badge by a member of the Denmark Sub Branch that could be the original badge.






The Denmark RSL Hall was opened in 1954 by the then State President, Mr Davies.  The Sub Branch used to      meet behind the civic centre but swapped land with the council to moved to its current location to allow for the expansion of the civic centre.  Below is a photograph of the opening of of the Hall on the 15th of May 1954 provided by the Denmark Sub Branch.

The Mt Barker Sub Branch was formed in 1919.  Mt Barker Sub Branch was surrounded by Cranbrook Sub Branch, Frankland River Sub Branch and Rocky Gully Sub Branch.  Competition existed between the sub branches, with Mt Barker competing with Cranbrook Sub Branch for the Walker Cup (Cricket).

Mt Barker Sub Branch remains active in the community running various events and functions.  The picture below is a programme from an event
                                                                                 sponsored by the sub branch in 1930.


The Mt Barker Sub Branch are at present located at the former kindergarten having moved from the annex attached to the shire offices.  Before this time the sub branch had a club in the centre of town proving support to the veterans and their families in the community.  The photograph above indicates the the club was formed in 1921 and was a war memorial club.

Great Southern Sub-Branches of the RSL

From the 15th to the 18th of February we will be travelling to the sub-branches of the Great Southern region of Western Australia.

15th   Gnowangerup Sub-Branch
16th   Albany Sub-Branch
17th   Denmark Sub-Branch
18th   Mt Barker Sub-Branch

Together with the visits we have scheduled to the sub-branches in the region we are looking at the sub-branches that were formerly in the area and have since closed down.  Information about Jerramungup, Ongerup, Tambellup, Cranbrook, Frankland River and Rocky Gully is also being sought.

What we are looking for are;

Photographs of sub-branch members, functions or commemorative services

Photographs of Hall or meeting place

Photographs of Memorials in the custody of the sub-branch

Photographs of Honour Boards and Rolls in the custody of the sub-branch

Documentation relating to the sub-branch the formation and/or operation of the sub-branch for example sub-branch charters, minutes and membership records.

We will also be conducting oral histories with those affiliated with the League focusing on the history of the sub-branch and the role of the sub-branch within the community. 

We will be equipped with a video and stills camera with which to conduct video oral histories and a scanner to make digital copies of any photographs or documents relating to the sub-branch.  All original material will be returned to the owner.

The Great Southern Region contains some of our oldest sub-branches in Western Australia with Albany, Denmark, Gnowangerup and Mt Barker all formed between 1916 and 1919.   Most of the sub-branches operated with the support of Womens Auxiliaries of which none are currently active.   

Anyone with any information about the sub-branches in the Great Southern Region can come and visit me at the sub-branches as per schedule above or contact via email at rslcentenary@gmail.com

View Great Southern Region in a larger map

State War Memorial WA

Over the past few weeks I have been working on the State War Memorial Collection.  The collection contains correspondence, programmes, maps and drawings, agreements and reports to do with the memorial and its origins.  The Memorial is modelled on the Australian Imperial Force Memorials erected in France and Belgium and its form as a monument over a utilitarian memorial was widely debated at the time.

In 1924, Western Australia was without a State Memorial.  A committee was formed by the government at the time to develop a memorial but failed to achieve its objectives.  The League proposed to set up another committee made up of representatives from various associations with the goal of setting up a suitable memorial to the fallen in the Great War.

The meeting was called on Wednesday, February 11^th at 3pm.  William Lathlain was elected chairman of the newly formed State War Memorial Committee and an appeal was launched.

The funding for the memorial was through public subscription.  The need for a memorial was never debated, but its form was debated between a monument and a more utilitarian model such as a hospital.  Premier Philip Collier was opposed to the structure of the memorial, strongly supporting a memorial in the form of a hospital.  In correspondence within the collection it is remarked that Collier looked at the memorial as a ‘pile of stones’.

The location of the memorial at Kings Park was also suggested as unsuitable for the memorial, it was suggested that the memorial could detract from rather than add to the beauty of the park.

Despite the debate, the public did subscribe to the memorial and the work began under the direction of Sir Talbot Hobbs, who was appointed as the architect.  The memorial was unveiled on the 24^th of November 1929 and custody of the memorial was vested in the League.  Each year the League appoints a warden to oversee the care and use of the memorial.  Over the years the memorial has been extended, in terms of its structure and in the addition of names.  The memorial stands proudly overlooking Perth attracting visitors from all over the world and is a central part of ANZAC Day services and Remembrance Day.

Waroona Womens Auxiliary

Waroona Memorial Hall - Waroona WA

Waroona WA

Waroona Womens Auxiliary - Minute Book 1937 - First Meeting

The 25th of November 2010 marked the first sub-branch visit for the RSL Living History Project.  The first visit was to Waroona to visit the Waroona Womens Auxiliary.  The Auxiliary in Waroona currently has 11 members and sees its role in the organisation as providing support to the sub-branch in fulfilling its functions.  The Auxiliary meet in the Waroona Memorial Hall in the front room and share the room with the sub-branch.  The Auxiliary have records back as far as 1937 which is the first official meeting.  Mrs McKinlay, President of the State Womens Auxiliary presided over the meeting where office bearers were elected.  Mrs Date was elected President, Mrs Handley Secretary and Mrs Brown elected as Treasurer.


Waroona was originally known as Drakesbrook and have an honour roll in the Hall dedicated by the sub-branch in the name of Drakesbrook.  The area was settled in the 1830's and is supported by agriculture and tourism.