Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women

The original Demobilised Soldiers’ Association was founded on 24 March 1919 in Melbourne originally by and for AIF recruits who had enlisted for overseas service but had not embarked for Europe before the armistice was signed (and therefore ineligible to join RSSILA).

The NSW Branch was formed on Tuesday 17 February 1920 at the YMCA Hall, 325 Pitt St, at a meeting presided by Colonel J. Lamrock, himself a returned soldier but as Commandant of the Liverpool AIF camp was aware of the recruits’ plight. The meeting elected Mr R. Weaver (MLA) as the first NSW State Branch President.

A major purpose of the Association was to further the rights of their members, who had enlisted in the AIF but who were disadvantaged by the prioritisation of those returning from war in regard to repatriation employment, pensions, war service homes and other benefits.  Having achieved much of its objectives in the 1920s, some State Branches of the Association are reported to have fallen into ‘recess’ until WW2 when they were revived nationwide as the Demobilised Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Association of Australia to pursue similar objectives for the new generation of forgotten volunteers.

The Second Australian Ex-Service Men’s Association was founded in 1941 in Queensland originally by and for “returned” WW2 personnel wanting their own Association separate from the RSL and Diggers’ Associations. However the NSW Branch and other State Branches would later declare membership open to “…any discharged servicemen or women who are not eligible to join any other league.”

According to Minute Books, the NSW Branch of the 2nd Australian Ex-Service Men's Association was originally established as the Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen at a meeting of fifteen men at 166 Phillip St Sydney on 20th October 1942 and had immediately sought to combine many of the various ex-service associations that had begun to form during the war. At a meeting in Sydney on Tuesday 3rd February 1943, the Queensland Branch President and Secretary met with the NSW executives and the group continued as the NSW Branch of the 2nd Australian Ex-Service Mens' Association until 1944. The 3rd February 1943 meeting agreed to immediately open an office at Twyford House, 17 Castlereagh St, Sydney, which later became the original address of the Legion and was subsequently purchased by it.

According to Minute Books, in February-March 1944 the NSW Branch of the 2nd Australian Ex-Service Men's Association formally disassociated itself from the Queensland Branch and sought to organise and establish state branches across Australia in its preferred model that was fully inclusive of all ex-service people irrespective of where and how they served in the Australian armed forces and held member meetings to establish a new constitution with those aims:

"That by reason of the exclusion of a large section of discharged personnel from membership under the constitution held by Queensland, this Association holds that the ideals for which it was founded can only be achieved by independent action"

"Nevertheless we will be pleased to co-operate with Queensland if the interests of ex-servicemen in general can truly be served."

7th March 1944

During mid-1944, the NSW Branch and some other state branches of the 2nd Australian Ex-Service Men's Association changed their name to the Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women. On 9th May 1944, a Specialng Committee Meeting of the NSW Branch resolved:

"That the name of the Association be the Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women" and "that application be made to the Chief Secretary for the registration of the Association so named as a charity under the Charitable Collections' Act." 9th May 1944

On 1st June 1944, a joint meeting of the Committees of the Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women and the Demobilised Sailors', Soldiers' and Airmen's Associations (both NSW Branches) resolved:

"that the members of the D.S.S. & A. Assoc. of Aust. (NSW Branch) become financial members of the newly-formed Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women... and that the two associations are hereby amalgamated under the name and constitution of the Aust. Legion... and that all the funds, assets and records of the DSSAAA (NSW Branch) be forthwith transferred to the Aust. Legion..." 1st June 1944

On 10th October 1944, the NSW Branch of the Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women was formally incorporated under the NSW Companies Act 1936 as a Company Limited by Guarantee Not-for-Profit.

On 27 September 2022, the NSW Branch of the Legion formally merged with RSL NSW with all remaining Legion Sub-Branches being offered full RSL Sub-Branch status if they agreed to meet the constitutional requirements, or to become "Legion Chapters" of nearby RSL Sub-Branches. All NSW Branch assets were transferred to RSL NSW and the RSL NSW agreed to "Permanently publicly recognise and celebrate the Legion (NSW), its sub-branches and its members as part of the history and legacy of the RSL NSW".

The "Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women" is a separate and unrelated entity from the "Australian Legion of Ex-Service Men's Clubs", the latter being an association of independent ex-service social clubs (an association of independent member clubs, not an association of real person members). On 19 Sep 1944 in The Sun, p.5 'No Connection', it was written that "The Secretary of the Legion of Ex-Service Men's Clubs, Mr Frank P. Mannix, said today his organisation had no connection with the Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women". [1]

Formed in 1926,[2] the Association of Returned Sailors and Soldiers' Clubs of New South Wales, later that year the Association of Returned Sailors and Soldiers' Clubs (though still a NSW organization), as a peak body to represent the hundreds of ex-servicemen's clubs scattered throughout the State. It was primarily concerned with matters affecting the lives of veterans of The Great War, such as pensions, employment, health care and housing. One of its first, and most enduring, innovations was the installation of a "Lamp of Remembrance" in each club to commemorate fallen soldiers.[2]

Office holders in 1926 were B. L. Smith, president; J. H. Cask, hon. secretary; H. E. Lording, treasurer; vice-president Willingham, and councillors Hart and Rushbrooke.

Ernest Alfred Rushbrooke (c. 1897 – September 1952)[3] was hon. secretary 1927–1935.[3]

In 1927 W. Kennedy was elected president, D. Willingham and J. Morris vice-presidents, J. H. Cask hon. secretary and E. Rushbrooke his assistant; R. Lording hon. treasurer; and councillors W. McInnes and J. Paterson.[4] A later reference had that year's officers G. W. Patterson as president; E. A. Rushbrooke secretary; and J. S. Davidson treasurer.[5]

In 1927 the association organised the dedication ceremony for the newly erected Cenotaph in Martin Place, Sydney[6]

On 25 April 1928 at 4:30 a.m. a representative group from the Association laid a wreath on the Cenotaph, commemorating the time and date of the First AIF landing at Gallipoli, long recognised as Anzac Day. From this act of remembrance the Anzac Day "Dawn Pilgrimage",[7] later Dawn Service, evolved.[8]

In 1929 the Association became The Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen's Clubs,[9] following the titles of similar organizations in Britain, France and America, and initiated the Anzac Day Dawn Service (as "Dawn Pilgrimage") in Sydney at the cenotaph.[10] The assembly of Units and procession to The Domain was organised quite separately by the RSSILA.

In 1932 it decided to affiliate with the League of Nations Union and protested the cut in War Service pensions.

In 1933 the Legion introduced hymns into the service, and for the first time a public address system was employed.[11]

The Legion Cab company in NSW was founded by the Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women which successfully lobbied government for the allocation of 50 taxicab licenses to go to veterans in order to assist their employment. The Legion Cab Company employed veterans as drivers, mechanics, radio operators and administrative roles. [12]

Unlike the Returned and Services League (RSL) and its predecessor organisations prior to the 1980s, the Legion's membership was open to all ex-service members irrespective of how and where they served in the Australian armed forces. The RSL had only accepted as members those veteran soldier, sailor and airmen who had served in wartime operations overseas and its restrictive policies often caused anger with other ex-service people which made the Legion be seen as a more accessible organisation, although the RSL enjoyed a higher profile and greater political recognition across Australia. In the 1980s, the RSL's national policies were relaxed and membership became open to all ex-service members. On 27 September 2022, the New South Wales Branch of the Legion formally merged with the RSL NSW.