The author worked directly within the RSLWA for eighteen months to record their over 100 years of service, support and hospitality to returned soldiers, sailors, nurses and other service personnel in Western Australia from 1915 to 2020 in all wars. It documents, using the RSLWAs own archives, how the returned soldiers began to organise themselves into soldiers associations from late 1915.
This was attributed to returning 11th and 16th Battalion ex-soldiers. The book, with a Foreword by Governor Beazley, AC, documents the dramatic changes that overtook the WA government, and WA society, following that first 25th April 1915 action at Gallipoli. It identifies those individuals that first came together in support of the returning maimed and injured soldiers. It covers the wide extent of civilian and RSLWA support activities for returning soldiers and for those still serving at the front. Later chapters explore the RSLWAs increasing relevance in an ever-turbulent and troubled world. The RSLWA has a vital role to play in reminding the nation of its everlasting responsibility, to those who are serving and have served; to its fallen and to the partners and children of the fallen. Its duty will never end for as long as our men and women continue to serve the cause of freedom and pay its price of eternal vigilance. A copy of the book will be included in a time capsule to be placed in the floor of the new 2020 ANZAC House (completed in September 2020) the time capsule to be opened in another 100 years time.
