Visiting the Goolwa RSL Sub-Branch

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome ----When Robin Henry visited Goolwa recently, he had no idea where the Goolwa RSL Sub-Branch was located or even if it existed. However, during a walk last Sunday, he and his wife Christina came across the club which, much to their surprise, was open. On a Sunday!

Goolwa RSL Main Hall

Later that day members were apparently attending to watch a football match, tuck into some pies, and perhaps have a liquid refreshment or two. One member was pulling on the pullover of his preferred football team.

The RSL occupies a beautiful heritage building that was once a horse stable. Inside it is well decked out with themic displays of memorabilia from the four main wars. I understand that memorabilia is being collected for the Iraq, Afghanistan wars.

As you can see in the image at right, the walls are covered with photos, plaques, and even a frame containing details of the RSL Objects which I thought was a good idea - reminding us of what the RSL is about.

It's a very pleasant, well-laid out club that is a credit to all those who have contributed to its establishment and interior decorating.

If you're visiting Goolwa, whether as an RSL member or as a visitor, do drop in. You'll be most welcome and see some excellent memorabilia including the last Australian flag displayed in Vietnam.

APOD Provides Discounts to Veterans

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome ----Have you heard of APOD, Australian Partners of Defence?

APOD is a membership community created by veteran families, for veteran families. Membership is open to Australian Defence Force personnel, reservists, veterans, allied military personnel and their immediate family members. 

Many of the partners are veteran-run businesses.

APOD's purpose is to provide a platform for businesses of all sizes to give back to defence and veteran families through special offers and discounts that acknowledge their unique service and sacrifice. Their goal is to reach every defence family, especially veterans and their families who are no longer in defence or able to access the benefits available when in uniform.

Membership is free for anyone who holds a current DVA Veterans Card and you can join by clicking here.

Membership includes:

1. A personalized digital APOD membership card
2. Unlimited access to all the member benefits they negotiate on your behalf (over 20,000 offers)
3. Free membership for members' spouses

You don't have to join, but why not visit APOD's site here and see what it's all about?

Vietnam Objects to Australian $2 Coin

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome ---- 

Vietnam has urged Australia to halt the circulation of the coin 

By Joel Guinto & Bui Thu

Vietnam has strongly protested against Australia’s issuance of a coin with an image of the yellow flag of South Vietnam. Vietnam said the coin defies positive trends in bilateral ties and urged Australia to halt its circulation. 

Australia fought with US-backed South during the Vietnam War, which ended with the nation unifying.

The limited edition two-dollar coin was issued to mark 50 years since Australia pulled out its forces from Vietnam. The yellow flag in the coin design, contained in a ring, is based on ribbon colours awarded to Australian veterans. 

“We regret and resolutely protest against the Royal Australian Mint’s and Australia Post’s releases and circulation of items containing the yellow flag with three stripes, the flag of a regime which is no longer in existence,” said Pham Thu Hang, deputy spokesperson of Vietnam’s foreign ministry. 

The coin also features an image of the late Queen Elizabeth II on its obverse side and a UH-1H helicopter on the reverse. 

Vietnam lodged the protest as it concluded a five-day holiday to remember the end of the war. 

The yellow flag is a sensitive issue for the country. In January last year, Vietnam’s national television station aired a football match between Vietnam and Australia with a 10-minute delay as some Australian fans brought yellow-striped flags to the stadium. In July 2018, a Vietnamese court sentenced three women to four years in prison on charges of spreading anti-state propaganda after they held up yellow flags in public. 

Vietnam appeared to have overreacted to the commemorative coins, said Nguyen Van Tuan, a former refugee from South Vietnam who now researches medicine at the University of New South Wales and the University of Technology in Sydney. He said it is common for some local governments in Australia to use the yellow flag since veterans from the former South Vietnam are entitled to benefits from the Australian government. The yellow flag was also flown by so-called boat people like him who fled Vietnam by boat so that they would be recognised as refugees, he said. 

“While the flag no longer represents any country, it remains a symbol of the Vietnamese community in Australia,” he said. 

The Royal Australian Mint said the design reflected the “colours of the ribbons of the service medals awarded to Australians who served in Vietnam, including the Vietnam Service medal, introduced in 1968”. It added the Australian government “does not recognise the flag of the former Republic of Vietnam”.

Acknowledgement: Article from Veteranweb Network

Tracking the Legacy Torch

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome ----

As we mentioned in the latest issue of The Bugle, a 50-day Torch Relay began on ANZAC Day in Pozieres, France, travelled to London, England, and was due to arrive in Australia as part of Legacy's centenary celebrations having served the families of veterans for one hundred years.

The Legacy Centenary Torch Relay is a six-month campaign to pay homage to and acknowledge veterans' families, saluting their service.

The Legacy Relay Application that you can download free provided the location of the Legacy Torch at Albany, Western Australia at the time of posting.

Legacy Australia hopes to raise $10 million dollars from donations during the tracking of the torch through various towns and cities. Should you wish to make a donation to Legacy, you may do so here.

Why not download the app and keep abreast of the Torch's location?

ANZAC Day 2023 - An Enormous Success

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome ----

ANZAC Day at Tanunda was another enormous success.

Outside the Hut

An estimated 1,500-2,000 people attended Tanunda RSL's commemorative dawn service at the Tanunda Memorial Gardens yesterday. Both President, Trevor Klose and member Patsy Biscoe, who had provided entertainment to troops during the Vietnam war, reminded us that this year is the 50th Anniversary of the Australian engagement in South Vietnam. 

The Australian Government plans a commemorative year of dedicated events for this anniversary.

Serving Army chaplain Father Mark Sexton led the commemorative services as he has for many years.

More than 165 people joined us at our Hut after the service for a Gunfire Breakfast we provided with the support of the Barossa Valley Rotary Club volunteers who did an excellent job yet again preparing and distributing food and refreshments.

As we marched along Murray Street to the Soldiers' Memorial Hall in Basedow Road, hundreds of people lined the street to watch and acknowledge us by clapping. It's very encouraging to see so many people turn out for ANZAC Day here, and across Australia.

Some people return every ANZAC and Remembrance Day, we remember their faces; some visit our Friday evening happy hours, and others were visitors to the Barossa Valley who took time to join us. Visitors like Lyndie and Gordon Minett from Rosewood, Queensland. Whoever they are, we are always happy to welcome them to our small club.

Lyndie and Gordon Minett

Behind the scenes, a lot of organization goes into organizing our commemorative days. Our Tanunda RSL management committee volunteers work for several months planning, ordering memorabilia, and liaising with all of those involved to ensure things run smoothly on the day.

We appreciate very much all those who help us organize, plan and run our commemorative days. There are too many to list here, but they know who they are, and they know they are appreciated.

A couple of additional photos of the occasion are shown below.