From commemoration to connection: How RSLs preserve history and honour service year-round
The RSL in Victoria community is at its busiest during the lead-up to key commemorative events like ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day, but commemoration doesn’t end there. Across Victoria, RSL Sub-Branches work year-round to honour service and sacrifice – recent discoveries in Korumburra and Montmorency show how this legacy is preserved every day.
From historical military paraphernalia to rare artefacts, rediscovered treasures and family heirlooms, RSL Sub-Branches play a vital role in preserving the legacy of those who have served. By giving all these a home, history is brought to life, stories are shared and communities connected.
An unexpected find in Korumburra
With the help of a local RSL Sub-Branch, an unexpected discovery in a small Victorian town caught the eye of the Australian War Memorial (AWM).
‘Uncle Alex’s War Chest’ took the Korumburra RSL Sub-Branch by surprise, with the ‘chest’ being in fact about nine trunks containing military equipment, documents, maps, artwork and photographs. More specifically, it included nearly 50 World War I maps of the Western Front and original ink and pen drawings by members of the 39 Battalion.
The collection, known as the ‘Paterson Collection’, dates to the turn of the last century and was originally gathered by Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Paterson DSO MC VD. Lieutenant Colonel Paterson served with the 39 Battalion through World War I.
Once Alex’s only child Betty died, the collection went to the descendant of Alex’s brother, William Paterson. Margaret Scott is Lt Col Paterson’s great-niece. She said when they emptied Aunty Betty’s house, among the many items from the collection, they found logbooks of lost soldiers.
“We felt quite responsible; this was a big deal, but we didn’t find the right people until the guys here at the Fallen Diggers and the Korumburra RSL could translate its importance to us and help us find the right connections.”
Margaret Scott
The local RSL was quick to get to work.
“Our function was to help the family do something with this, and we realised this was nationally significant. Our role was to get the War Memorial and RSL Victoria to try and find this collection a home,” said Tony Moon, Vice President Korumburra RSL Sub-Branch.
The AWM is working with the family to develop a plan to preserve and potentially display items from the collection.
The Conway Cross: A long journey home
In a similarly heartwarming development in another part of Victoria, a wooden cross bearing the words 7213 Pte. H. Conway, 21st Australians, has been given a deserving and fitting new home.
The cross began its existence as one of countless grave markers that dotted the Western Front – temporarily placed by soldiers mourning their fallen friends.
This particular grave marker belonged to Private Harry Conway, a young sniper from Christmas Hills, Victoria.
Harry was one among many who died around this time, so many that his fellow soldiers had no time to arrange a more permanent grave marker. For the men who buried him, the simple cross marking his resting place was a small act of honour in a world ravaged by loss – a solemn, silent way to mark the life of a comrade who would not return.
The cross, against all odds, made a remarkable journey more than halfway around the world: from Rouen, France, to Harry’s mother in Christmas Hills.
After the death of Harry’s mother, Rosamond, the whereabouts of the cross remained unknown for several decades until it was unearthed during a house renovation and donated to the Montmorency-Eltham RSL (MERSL) Sub-Branch.
By the time it was found again in 2021, it had spent countless years gathering dust in a storage space at the back of a garage until Graeme Funnell, the owner of the house, just happened to unearth a unique piece of history while renovating.
He came to realise its importance and knew that it deserved a proper home – one where its story could be told and shared. Graeme contacted MERSL, located near Harry’s original home, and offered the cross as a donation. MERSL gratefully accepted, recognising the historical and emotional significance of the piece.
Glenn Ferrarotto is President of MERSL. He said the RSL has a responsibility to educate local communities on service and sacrifice through the safekeeping and preservation of military memorabilia.
“It’s my belief, and certainly that of our Sub-Branch and across the League, that RSLs must be custodians of significant pieces of military history, like the Conway Cross, where the history has not made it to the War Memorial, or where the artefact has been held by local families, to the point where the family realised they can no longer keep safe or preserve that memorabilia.”
The Conway Cross is one of the few wooden grave markers from World War I still in existence in Australia, a rarity that found its way back to a family and survived long enough to be rediscovered.
The Victorian Branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association funded the formal mounting and preservation of the Cross. It is now permanently displayed at MERSL in a quiet, dedicated space called ‘Harry’s Corner’, together with Harry’s medals and a memorial plaque. It is a place for the next generation to remember Harry Conway and reflect on the broader meaning of sacrifice.
Preserving stories for future generations
The discoveries in Korumburra and Montmorency-Eltham are more than just historical artefacts – they hold powerful connections to the past, ensuring the stories of those who served are never forgotten.
Through preservation, education and community engagement, RSL Sub-Branches across Victoria continue to honour the legacy of veterans, keeping the spirit of commemoration alive beyond major anniversaries.
Every object, every relic, and every name attached to these pieces of history represent a life lived in service. By safeguarding these treasures and sharing their stories, RSLs across Victoria ensure that future generations will remember and reflect on the sacrifices made in wartime – both on the battlefield and at home.
This story was originally published in the April 2025 edition of Mufti.
