CITY OF NEWCASTLE RSL
OUR HISTORY
HONOURING OUR PAST. INSPIRING OUR FUTURE.
For more than a century, the City of Newcastle RSL Sub-Branch has stood proudly in service to veterans, their families and the wider community. Our history reflects generations of dedication, remembrance and fellowship, shaped by those who served our nation and those who continue to preserve their legacy.
Our Mission & Vision
Guided by service, remembrance and community, our mission and vision define who we are and shape everything we do.
To honour the service and sacrifice of Australia’s veterans by providing compassionate support, advocacy and practical assistance to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Through remembrance, fellowship and community engagement, we are committed to preserving the traditions and values of the Returned and Services League while ensuring those who have served our nation receive the respect, recognition and support they deserve.
To be a respected and inclusive organisation that honours the past, supports the present and inspires future generations to value the service and sacrifice of Australia’s Defence Force community. We aspire to build a strong and connected community where veterans, serving personnel, their families and the wider public come together in remembrance, friendship and mutual respect. Through leadership, education and community partnerships, we will continue to preserve our shared military heritage while providing meaningful support for those who have served our nation.
CITY OF NEWCASTLE RSL SUB-BRANCH
Our History
Honouring more than a century of service to veterans, their families and the Newcastle community.
The Newcastle story begins
The Returned and Services League of Australia is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected organisations. Established in 1916, the League supports the welfare and promotes the interests of serving and former Defence Force members and their families.
Today, the League has more than 1,500 Sub-Branches across Australia, but the Newcastle Sub-Branch can proudly say that it was there from the very beginning.
The first known mention of a returned service organisation in Newcastle was on 19 May 1912, when the Newcastle and Northern District Naval and Military Association, formed after separating from the Imperial Veterans Association, held a meeting at the Sailors’ Home in Wickham.
The Great War
In November 1914, the Australian Imperial Force departed for Europe. On 25 April 1915, the ANZACs landed at Gallipoli, where they fought heroically for eight months.
“The soldiers, as everyone knew, were proving themselves as good, if not better than before, first at Gallipoli and then in France and Flanders.” Newcastle Morning Herald, 6 November 1916
Kings Hall opens
In January 1918, the Anzac Memorial Institute, better known as Kings Hall, opened on the corner of King and Perkins Streets, complete with electric lighting and a connected telephone.
Commemoration during an epidemic
The Navy League joined the Returned Soldiers and Sailors Imperial League for ANZAC Day commemorations, but the deadly influenza epidemic halted all marches.
Supporting Kings Hall
A carnival was held on Hunter Street to raise money for the Kings Hall project and for endowment purposes.
The Sub-Branch received a two-pound donation from the Church of England Grammar School. That connection continues today through an annual prize presented to a Year 10 student excelling in Modern History.
Employment, food and shelter
The Warriors Store opened at 28 Hunter Street to employ out-of-work ex-servicemen, and the Unemployed Returned Soldiers Association was formed with the support of the Newcastle Sub-Branch.
The Newcastle Hotel in Scott Street was donated to feed and clothe unemployed, single ex-servicemen. Known as the Unemployed Diggers Hostel, it was run by the men themselves.
ANZAC Day recognised
ANZAC Day was officially gazetted as a public holiday.
Money raised locally stayed locally
A combined meeting of the Limbless Soldiers Association, the TB Soldiers Association and the Newcastle Sub-Branch agreed to raise money for the Returned Soldiers’ Appeal.
They were dedicated to ensuring that the money raised in Newcastle remained in Newcastle for Newcastle soldiers.
The Diggers Camp
During this period, the Newcastle Sub-Branch funded the establishment of a soldiers’ camp in Cooks Hill.
The Diggers Camp in Hall Street operated as a cooperative. Ex-servicemen contributed their dole coupons to a common fund, from which the League purchased goods with assistance from local donations.
Approximately 50 men received three meals, comfortable bedding and tobacco rations each day.
The busiest Sub-Branch in the state
Although Sub-Branches were being formed throughout the district, Newcastle was declared the busiest in New South Wales.
More than 40 members called into the office each day for assistance with matters including interviews and medical examinations.
A new name
The organisation’s name was changed to the City of Newcastle Sub-Branch to avoid confusion with the Civic Sub-Branch.
The Newcastle Pipe Band
The Newcastle Pipe Band led the ANZAC Day March. The Sub-Branch remains a major supporter and sponsor of what is now the City of Newcastle RSL Pipe Band.
In July, a Permanent District Officer was appointed by the State Branch to assist with the pensions and employment of former servicemen. He worked from an office in Kings Hall supplied at no cost by the Newcastle Sub-Branch.
Broadening support
Records from the war years are scarce. However, in January 1944, the Newcastle branch of the Second Australian Ex-Servicemen’s Association was formed to provide broader representation for former and currently serving men and women.
A strong post-war community
The Newcastle area had 32 Sub-Branches and approximately 6,500 members. On ANZAC Day, more than 4,500 ex-service men and women marched through Newcastle.
Although State Headquarters later closed the Newcastle office, the Sub-Branch retained Kings Hall as its home. In the decades that followed, the number of returned service people gradually declined.
The Newcastle Earthquake
The Newcastle Earthquake destroyed Kings Hall, together with the Sub-Branch’s historical records, documents and memorabilia.
The Vietnam Legion, which had rooms in Kings Hall, also lost its entire collection of documents, photographs and memorabilia.
After the earthquake, the Sub-Branch purchased the former Beefeater Restaurant in Scott Street as a temporary home for the Club and Sub-Branch.
Despite advice from outside experts, local members rebuilt on the original site, creating the four-storey building now known as Kings Hall Chambers.
Service continues
The search for a more permanent home for the Sub-Branch and Club continues, as the Scott Street premises remain limited in size.
Our commitment to charitable causes continues through support for the City of Newcastle RSL Pipe Band, local schools and junior sporting teams.
- Maintaining strong ties with RAAF Base Williamtown, the Australian Army and the Royal Australian Navy.
- Supporting memorial and commemorative services held throughout Newcastle.
- Serving as guardians of the “Little Digger” Gardiner Memorial outside the former Newcastle Post Office.
- Welcoming veterans from Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and more recent operations.
These connections continue to bring fresh faces into our ranks and ensure that our role remains as relevant today as it was in 1916.
Defence Community
Supporting veterans, serving personnel, their families and the wider Defence community through advocacy, welfare, mateship and lasting community connections.
Commemoration
Honouring the service and sacrifice of all who have served our nation through commemorative services, education and the preservation of their legacy.
Community Connections
Building meaningful connections between veterans, families, schools, volunteers and the wider Newcastle community through events, education and shared experiences.