Formation of RSL

The war was by no means over but those servicemen returning to Australia immediately saw the need for an organisation that would serve the special needs of particularly the sick, wounded and needy and their dependents.

So in 1916, with the end of the war still two years away, the Returned Services League (RSL) was formed.

In 1916 there was no formal government welfare service for veterans and the RSL, built on an underlying philosophy of mateship formed amidst the carnage and horror of battle, committed itself to help those in need and was, in effect, the first nation-wide welfare agency in Australia.

Over its 102-year history the RSL has continued to be the major representative and lobby group for ex-servicemen and women playing leading roles in the establishment of a Commonwealth repatriation system; the introduction of service, disability and war widows’ pensions; employment and retraining programs including operating its own employment bureau for many years; child health programs, and vocational guidance services.

Another prominent and still operating veterans’ organisation, Legacy, was established in 1923 also through the efforts of returned servicemen.

Its focus was primarily on personally caring for dependents of men and women killed while serving or who later died as a result of service related or other causes.