Gold Coast veterans call on next generation of Diggers to ensure survival of subbranches

COMMUNITY RSL subbranches are facing the fight of their lives as they call on the next generation of veterans to keep the tradition alive just days before Anzac commemoration.

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COMMUNITY RSL subbranches — the organising committees behind Anzac Day Services — are facing the fight of their lives.

In the year the league marks a century of existence, Diggers admit ageing membership and strong competition from cashed-up RSL clubs has put their future in doubt unless the next generation step up.

Burleigh Heads RSL sub-branch was last month in crisis, just weeks out from Anzac Day, when its committee was unable to find an replacement for its long-time president Christopher Keating who was retiring from the position.

Chris Keating, former Burleigh Heads RSL sub-branch president with new president Craig McKenzie at the Burleigh memorial. Photo: Glenn Hampson

While a new president, Craig McKenzie, was found at the 11th hour the club — other subbranches across the Gold Coast are putting out a disparate call to younger veterans to get involved and keep the tradition alive.

Diggers have called for veterans of the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and peacekeeping missions in East Timor and the Solomon Islands to take their place.

Mr Keating, an OAM recipient who served in the Vietnam War, will preside over his final Anzac Day service next week and said it was difficult to attract younger veterans to small subbranches.

“Unfortunately after each war the RSL is the last thing on their minds following their service and they tend to go to the big clubs like Currumbin or Twin Towns where they can take their wives and go for a nice meal.

Members of the Light Horse Re-Enactment Group welcome the sunrise at the Anzac Day dawn service at Elephant Rock Currumbin. Pics Tim Marsden

“We can’t compete with that at all and we are just an old dinosaur which keeps the tradition alive and commemorates the service.

“We are keen to see (the sub-branch) still around in 100 years’ time but unfortunately if you look at the country ones a lot have now closed down.

“The honour boards are getting longer and longer.”

Burleigh’s sub-branch, which has around 120 members, opened on 2 January, 1939 nine months before the beginning of World War II.

Dignitaries and VIP's at the stage area. Anzac Day dawn service at Elephant Rock Currumbin. Pics Tim Marsden

There are more than 1500 subbranches across the country, with around 230 in Queensland. In the past four years, at least three have closed or amalgamated with other branches, including the Gold Coast’s own Ernest sub-branch which was wound up in late 2012.

Prominent Mermaid Beach resident Alf Vockler, a member of Surfers Paradise RSL and who served in the Royal Australian Regiment from 1953 to 1959, warned that many smaller RSLs would face extinction within a decade unless younger veterans began playing a more active role in the organisation.

“The current guys are all getting old and disappearing and the same could soon be happening with our associations if they do not start to get involved,” he said.

“Some of our small subbranches are just battling to survive right now and unless something happens it will not be long, probably within 10 years, when our Vietnam veterans hit their 80s and I doubt many of them will be able to be involved.

“The gap must be filled by someone else and these young service men and women are the basis of our future.”