RSL looks to the future
2019 to be a key year for Soldiers Memorial Hall
‘‘ I’M JUST KEEN TO TO PASS ON MY KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCES, AND HELP OUT WHERE I CAN. DIETER HITCHINS
WELL -SHY of the average age of Toowoomba United RSL Sub Branch members by roughly 30 years, Dieter Hitchins is looking forward to getting more involved in the organisation come Sunday.
Mr Hitchins is one of several younger ex-service personnel who are looking to inject their knowledge and experience into an important, albeit aging organisation.
The sub branch is holding its annual general meeting on Sunday - and 2019 is shaping up to be a key year in determining the future of the sub branch’s home, the Toowoomba Soldiers Memorial Hall.
2019 will also mark the centenary of the formation of the sub branch.
Currently, more than 330 of the sub branch’s 380-odd members are over the age of 80, a statistic president Lindsay Morrison hopes to change.
Mr Hitchins, who spent 12 years with the Royal Australian Air Force as an aircraft spraypainter between 1981 and 1993, said his decision to become involved in the Toowoomba United RSL Sub Branch wasn’t exactly straightforward.
After relocating to Westbrook four years ago, he became involved in the local Dawn Service, which led to him MCing and helping organise both the Dawn Service and Remembrance Day services.
He became involved in the effort to have Westbrook’s iconic Digger war memorial restored in 2016, and last year decided to join the RSL.
His daughter, now an officer at Amberley, is the fourth generation in his family to serve in the armed forces.
Mr Hitchin’s father served, and both his grandfathers - one English and the other German - fought opposite each other.
“I’m just keen to to pass on my knowledge, experiences, and help out where I can,” he said, adding that it was “extremely” important for younger people to get involved in the RSL and ensure its future.
“Overall I think some interesting things are going to start to happen... we’re going to push for these things to happen.”
The Toowoomba United RSL Sub Branch’s AGM starts at 10am on Sunday, February 17, at the Soldiers Memorial Hall, and all members are requested to attend.
The restoration of the Soldiers Memorial Hall has been a controversial issue in recent years.
In September last year, The Chronicle revealed the Queensland RSL had walked away from a $250,000 commitment to help fund the restoration of the heritage-listed hall, leaving Toowoomba Regional Council to pay for any renovations by itself.