Page 13 - eMuse Vol.9 No.11

Did You Know? Grandma’s

RSL Foundation
In June 1916, a conference of state- Sayings
based returned soldiers associations rec-
ommended the formation of The Returned
Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Aus-
tralia (RSSILA). The RSSILA was founded
by returning soldiers from the First World
War with the aim of continuing to provide
the camaraderie, concern, and mateship Don’t take
shown among Australian troops while they criticism from
were at war.
Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania people you would
and Victoria were the founding states, with
New South Wales admitted to the League never go to for advice.
the following year, and Western Australia in
1918. In 1927, the Australian Capital Terri-
tory formed a branch and was admitted. & Services League of Australia (RSL). This
last name change reflects the fact that
RSL Motto membership of the RSL is now open to all
”The price of liberty is eternal vigi- ex-service personnel regardless of active
lance”. Variations of this, the RSL’s motto, service status .
have existed since for a long time.. There In 1990, the present Returned & Servic-
are differences in opinion on the original es League badge was introduced. Within
wording and who said it first. the centre circle now march a sailor, soldier,
In the fourth century BC Demosthenes airman and servicewoman, with their arms
enunciated the spirit of the motto although linked in camaraderie .
he used these words:
“There is one safeguard known gener- Some Statistics
ally to the wise, which is an advantage and There were many clashes with indig-
security to all, but especially to democracies enous people, convict mutinies at sea and
as against despots. What is it? Distrust” on land such as the convict uprising at Cas-
Fast forward to 1770. The following tle Hill (1804), there was also the Rum Re-
words were apparently first used by John bellion (1808) and Eureka Stockade (1854).
Philpot Curran in his speech upon his elec- These actions were handled by British
tion as Lord Mayor of Dublin: authorities in charge of colonial affairs.
“The condition upon which God hath It is generally agreed Australian involve-
given liberty to man is eternal vigilance.” ment in warfare began when a small num-
Then Wendel Phillips, in an address be- ber of Australian volunteers served in British
fore the Massachusetts Anti Slavery Society units during the Maori Wars 1861 - 1864.
in 1852 said: Around this time each colony made its
“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty” own defence arrangements with their own
Some people have attributed this also Armies and Navies. New South Wales sent
to Thomas Jefferson but no one has found troops to the Sudan in 1895. Most colonies
any records of Jefferson using the sentence. sent troops to the Second Boer War 1899
In response to Victorian Branch sugges- - 1902. During their deployment in South
tion that the RSL adopt a motto the New Africa, Australian Colonial troops were
South Wales Branch recommended” merged into the newly formed Australian
“The price of Liberty is Eternal Vigi- Army .
lance” It was formally adopted November Since then Australians have served in
1923 at their the 8th National Congress. the Boxer Rebellion, World War I, The Rus-
sian Civil War, World War II, Korean War,
RSL Badge Malayan Emergency, Indonesia-Malaysia
Over the years, the badge has changed Confrontation, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Na-
as the League has evolved . From 1915 to mibia, Cambodia, Somalia, Rwanda, Bou-
1919, there were badges for state-based gainville, East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq.
associations, but in 1916 a national badge Australia has, from our very beginning,
appeared and gradually replaced these . played an active role in peace keeping. Our
By 1919 the Returned Sailors and Sol- troops have, and are always ready to
diers Imperial League badge had been pay the price demanded by the mot-
widely accepted, and remained in use to “The price of Liberty is Eternal
until 1941. In 1990, the name Vigilance”. Never forget it.
was changed to the Returned Wally
November 2020 eMuse 13