Legacy of the Anzac Spirit lives on in volunteer organisations

Alison Lai says the willingness to help others is as strong as it has ever been

I HAVE been told that the Anzac Spirit that we have spoken about so much this week means different things to many people.

For some it is about courage, sacrifice and mateship.

To me, the Anzac Spirit is all of those things and it is also about community.

In one of our most significant times of need, our community came together with thousands of Australians putting up their hands to travel miles away to fight for our freedom.

They were ordinary Australians, including doctors, tradesmen, teachers and bankers who put their tools down to protect communities and our way of life.

On home soil here in Australia our sense of community was equally strong with our men and women supporting the war efforts in any way that they could.

They were our civilian volunteers whose contribution is perhaps not as well known.

They were everyday Australians, mostly women, who kept our nation ticking by volunteering unpaid hours to support our troops overseas.

The significant role of women during both world wars is well documented, with many stepping up into historically male-dominated professions.

However, in addition to taking on these paid roles, these women were also cake bakers, knitters and committee members volunteering countless hours and raising funds to support the initiatives of community groups such as the Salvation Army and the Red Cross.

These were the women, who as part of the lesser known Australian Comforts Fund, provided and distributed comfort items like socks, letters and stationary to soldiers in the battlefields.

These were the women who had the sole responsibility of raising their families while their husbands were fighting overseas, keeping families intact during times of uncertainty.

They were also the women who, in the absence of formalised counselling support services, helped their husbands settle back into civilian life after they returned.

It is impossible to comprehend the economic and social impact of these incredible women, which also extended across the ocean.

Many volunteers, such as the women of the Red Cross’ Voluntary Aid Detachment travelled overseas to the battlefields, initially for no pay to provide first-aid support to the doctors and nurses.

There they joined other volunteer efforts, such as the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Defence Services, also known as “Sallymen”, who provided mateship and spiritual support to our troops.

The compassion and dedication of volunteers did not stop when the war was over. Many veterans and their families contributed, and continue to provide voluntary hours to support the RSL, Legacy, and organisations supporting the post-war recovery for allies overseas.

Many may be unaware of

the French-Australian League of Help who were formed to raise money, and provide donations to the French troops and their families who had been impacted during World War I, and again during World War II.

Funds were used to build orphanages, assist widows and pay for equipment and the rebuilding of schools and homes. This money was raised by Australian volunteers and their contribution continues to be remembered by the French.

I believe our countrymen stepped up to help the French because in Australia we believe in the power of community, and after seeing first-hand the impact of war on the communities in France, to do otherwise would have been un-Australian.

Our sense of community remains strong in groups such as Legacy, the RSL and women’s auxiliary groups still active to this day. While some, like the Australian Comforts Fund have disappeared, others have emerged such as the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia, and more recently, Mates4Mates, a community organisation that pairs returned Australian Defence Force members with other ex-servicemen and women to provide support.

There is also Soldier On that raises funds to assist with the rehabilitation and recovery of our returned service men and women and, their families.

There are no doubt many more organisations displaying incredible community spirit and generosity in support of our Australian forces.

So on this Anzac Day I remembered the sacrifice of those who stepped up to protect my nation, and gave a special thank you to all the civilian volunteers who supported them every step of the way.

Lest we forget.

To me, the Anzac Spirit is all of those things and it is also about community.

Alison Lai is chief executive of Volunteering Tasmania.