Saluting their Service Display at Tanunda

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome, you don't need to be a member. ---- Anyone who has been a member for a few years will recall the joint venture we ran with "The Emu Tree's" Christian Teusner. The venture was funded by the Department of Veteran's Affairs for two years during 2021-22 under its "Saluting their Service" program.

We successfully applied for successive year grants totalling almost $80,000 and this was for Christian to obtain oral histories from veterans and their families. It also included obtaining written stories and photographs and displaying same across South Australia.

Display at Ayres House, Adelaide
 during SALA Week 2021

Christian did an excellent job and ran numerous displays across the state including at Tanunda and Adelaide as can be seen in the photo at left.

Most importantly, Christian obtained dozens of oral stories from WWII veterans whose lives were approaching their end and some have passed away since. These oral records are invaluable.

A link to listen to them appears under Links in our right hand column.

Our sub-branch didn't continue with the program because of the administrative load but mainly to give some other sub-branches an opportunity.

Christian took up the opportunity with, from memory, RSL Waikerie Sub-Branch, and continued with the work which he is still doing several years later. By now the collection must be huge.

The good news is, Christian will be displaying his collection at the Tanunda Football Club, Tanunda Recreation Park during the forthcoming Barossa Vintage Festival.

Mark it in your diary and make sure you don't miss what is an interesting and informative display with photographs of many people from our regions.

You can read more by going to the bottom of this site and entering "Saluting their Service" in the Search dialogue box which will list all previous posts about it. 

Have you bought your ANZAC Day Memorabilia?

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome, you don't need to be a member. ---- ANZAC Day is fast approaching - only 9 weeks away.

Our partner, the Militaryshop has a cornucopia of militaria waiting for you to purchase. There are many, new exciting, popular products like the Poppy Impressions range:

Many of these products eg, sturdy shopping bags, mugs, and umbrella are big sellers at our kiosk outside Foodland Tanunda.

Pens sell well - everyone needs a collection of pens. (I have enough to open a stationery shop having had a pen fetish for decades!).

Then there are dozens of different badges covering every one of our wars commencing with World War II.

Afghan Service is well catered for also with Operation Slipper.

Operation Slipper is the Australian Defence Force (ADF) contribution to the war in Afghanistan. In November 2001 Australian SAS troops joined the war in Afghanistan. C-130 Hercules aircraft provided logistic support to the SAS, while F/A-18 Hornets contributed to air defence at the American Indian Ocean base of Diego Garcia. From March to September 2002, two RAAF Boeing 707 refuelling aircraft of 84 Wing were based at Manas air base in Kyrgyzstan in central Asia.

The initial ADF commitment in Afghanistan concluded in December 2002 when the Special Air Service Task Group was withdrawn.

An Australian Special Forces Task Group was re-deployed to Afghanistan in August or September 2005.

The Australian Special Forces Task Group was withdrawn from Afghanistan in September 2006.

A Reconstruction Taskforce began arriving in Oruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan in early September 2006. (Source: Virtual Museum)

If you decide to visit the Military Shop using our link here, our sub-branch will receive a small commission.

How to get your Military Memorabilia

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome ---- Don't miss this opportunity to stock up on your memorabilia!

Two happy customers at our
Foodland sales point

Our member volunteers will run a kiosk outside Foodland Tanunda on 17 and 18 April 24 just in time for you to stock up for ANZAC Day and buy your groceries - two birds with one stone. 

We have a wide range of badges, pens, bags, mugs, and other memorabilia too much to mention here, so we invite you to drop in and have a look. You're sure to find something you can't live without.

Do you have enough memorabilia? No problem, you can make a donation or pick up a free poppy. Everyone gets a free poppy.

If you don't intend to get to Foodland Tanunda on either of those days but would like to support our RSL sub-branch, you can make a donation HERE. 

We buy our memorabilia from the Military Shop which has a much larger inventory of merchandise than we have. The profit we make and donations we receive from many generous businesses and individuals goes towards planning and running ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day for our community, maintaining our Hut in the Tanunda Recreational Park, and to helping our fellow veterans and families.

We think it's a worthwhile cause and hope you do too.

PS: Visitors to our Hut are always welcome and membership is available but not essential.

A Successful Remembrance Day Appeal

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Meals on first Friday of month ---- Once again the generosity of our fellow Barossans and some visitors came to light during our Remembrance Day Appeal we held outside Foodland Tanunda.

Two lovely ladies agreed to pose

For those of us who volunteered at the memorabilia tables, it was a wintery experience as the front of Foodland is like a wind tunnel. But being the devoted and hardy souls we are, we beavered on and made a healthy amount for our sub-branch on behalf of those who serve and have served in the Australian Defence Force, their families, and our community.

We handed out 500 or more free poppies to young and old to wear on Friday, 11 November 22 or as often as they wish. I believe more will be available at the Tanunda Memorial Gardens where we hope we'll see you at 10:15 am for a 10:30 am commencement.

We were delighted to hear some parents telling their youngsters about the RSL and military and why we hold Remembrance Day.

As always, we are most grateful for the ongoing support we receive from our community.

As an afterthought, if you didn't get that badge, cap, mug or something from our memorabilia collection you really wanted, if you click on Military Shop link in the right hand column, you can visit their site to check out the vast array of militaria available.

Memorabilia Sales - Foodland Tanunda

A small example of memorabilia

On Tuesday, 19 April, and Wednesday, 20 April, our volunteers will be holding memorabilia fundraising stalls outside Foodland, Tanunda. 

This year we have a range of new memorabilia in which collectors will be interested. We also have some "electric candles" for those who prefer to hold their ANZAC Day memorial at home, as all of us did during 2020 when we were captives of our own houses during a lockdown; a new experience for most of us.

We have purple pin badges in recognition of the animals that fought alongside our troops in all wars, combined purple and red poppy badges, Navy, Army and Air Force mugs, water bottles, shopping bags with poppy graphics, a variety of pens, sets of cards, and biscuits in souvenir tin containers (these will go fast). 

Visit us and you'll find something you like or can't live without.

If you don't need another pen, or another ANZAC Day badge, you may wish to simply leave a donation.

Whatever you do, if you are in the area, please drop in and say hello to our team members. You could even discuss how easy it is to become a member.

The Hut Closed Good Friday

The Hut will be closed on Friday, 15 April 22, for the Easter long weekend.

We hope you have a pleasant and safe weekend and look forward to seeing you at the Hut on Friday, 22 April 22, the day after our first ever Fashion Parade at Lambert's Winery, and of course the weekend of ANZAC Day on the following Monday.

Next week on Tuesday and Wednesday, several volunteers will be selling memorabilia outside Foodland, Tanunda. Don't forget to say hello and update or add to your collection if you are nearby.

Next week promises to be a busy week for our colleagues and the many others who support the RSL.

Remembrance Day Appeal

Our volunteers will be outside Foodland Tanunda selling a wide range of memorabilia on Wednesday, 3 and Thursday, 4 November between 9 am and 5 pm.

This is part of our annual activity to raise funds for our veterans' support programs and the ongoing costs of running our sub-branch. Apart from special grants we receive for specific tied activities (see here), our club runs largely on donations from our generous sponsors and the Barossa public.

Numerous people simply drop off a donation and we have at least one collector who spends a large sum on new badges every year. Others buy one or two of our products sourced mainly from the Military Shop with whom we have an affiliation.

If you click on the Military Shop link here in the right column under Links, you'll not only find a rich harvest of militaria you can buy eg, jackets, medals, badges, caps, water bottles and much more, but you'll also ensure our club gets a small commission.

Do visit us on either of the two days and get yourself some of the newer memorabilia. We look forward to seeing you. 

PS: The umbrellas were popular last year as were the purple badges acknowledging the service that animals have provided during all wars.