Snapshot of the past - Longwarry RSL clubroom opening

A photograph at the official opening of the Longwarry RSL clubrooms on December 12, 1960.
The clubrooms were added onto the north side of the Longwarry Hall and the first meeting in the new space attracted a nine-year high attendance.
A grand opening, held a few months later, was marked with a supper in buffet style.
Appearing in the photograph are (back row, from left) D. Holman, O. Doughty, F. Daymond, C. McDermid, R. Stinton, (third row) P. Gardener, A. W. H. Ford, W. English, S. Wenn, S. Eacott, R. Wakely, (second row) L. Nicholas, F. Dope (DFC), M. Goodman, Cr W. Kraft, K. Bell, (seated) C. Dixon, C. Ryan, E. Follett and B. Wilson.
The Longwarry Soldiers Memorial League was formed in 1917. This was the beginning of the Longwarry RSL but not a lot is known about the group.
It's generally believed that meetings were held, but no "official" records remain. Consensus has it that the records - if any - perished in the Longwarry Hall fire in 1951, therefore depriving future generations of any solid facts.
The "reforming" of the branch in subsequent years suggest strongly that the RSL was active for at least part of this time, believed to be 1921 to 1946.
Happily, minute books exist from 1946 onward.
On June 25, 1946, a meeting was held in the Longwarry Mechanics Institute, attended by 21 people. They included: Cr Pretty, W. Boyes, L. Couacaud, H. Andrews, F. G. Pope, H. Hill, B. Tolley, W. Mills, A. G. Tilbury, S. H. Eacott, W. W. MacGillivary, H. R. Toy, W. Murnane, C. A. Ford, H. Dore, J. Mills, S. J. Serong, E. S. Murray, W. C. Dixon, E. S. Wenn and F. C. Wade.
These foundation members were likely all returned from war and would be the core of the local RSL for many years to come.
Minutes from this meeting show Cr Pretty and Mr Boyes both strongly advised that the Longwarry RSL sub-branch be re-formed.
F. G. Pope was elected president, H. Murnare senior vice president, W. W. MacGillivary vice president, E. S. Wenn treasurer and H. Toy secretary.
Membership was strong and meetings were well attended. The branch was included in the 39th district, however, it transferred to the 44th district a few years later.
The business of the RSL continued smoothly during the 1940s, with meeting attendance high and work continuing in the community. Poppies were sold on both Armistice Day and Anzac Day, with proceeds going to returned service personnel as it had from the earliest years.
As well as assisting returned service personnel, the RSL never lost track of the original "mateship" ethics on which it was formed.
There are many mentions of ex-personnel and members being sent gifts to list their spirits on being in Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital and Warragul Hospital. One hamper sent to a member in hospital consisted of "fruit, chocolates and cigarettes", an odd choice by today's standards. Additionally, gifts to Legacy were quite common.
Photograph and information courtesy of Longwarry and District History Group.
The group is dedicated to history of townships in the 3816 postcode, including Longwarry, Labertouche, Longwarry North and Modella. To find out more, longwarryhistory.org