RSL Wanneroo

15/07/2026

14/07/2026

Thank you for your Service.

14/07/2026

13/07/2026

Thank you for your Service. Lest we Forget

More than 35,000 Australians have contributed operationally to the war and conflict in Afghanistan since 2001.

Twenty-five years on, we remember all who served, the families who supported them and the allies they served alongside.

Veterans, families of veterans and the wider community are invited to a national commemorative service on Sunday 11 October 2026 at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra for the 25th anniversary of Australian service in Afghanistan.

Attendance is free, all you have to do is register on the DVA website. To register your attendance and find out more about accessibility and transport options, visit www.dva.gov.au/Afghanistan-anniversary

11/07/2026

Today, on Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) Day, Women Veterans Network Australia honours the service and sacrifice of all Australian Defence Force personnel who served in the Middle East Area of Operations from 11 July 2001 to 11 July 2021.

Over these 20 years, more than 39,000 Australians served across Afghanistan, Iraq and the broader Middle East region. We remember the 54 Australians who lost their lives on operations in service to our nation.
We also pause to remember those who have since lost their lives after returning home, and acknowledge the families, friends and mates who continue to carry their memory.

We recognise the many veterans living with the physical, psychological and moral impacts of their service, and the families who have stood beside them throughout their journey.

Today, we pay particular tribute to the women who served during these operations. Your courage, professionalism and dedication in often challenging and complex environments have made a lasting contribution to Australia's military history. Your service matters, your sacrifices are recognised, and you will not be forgotten.

Lest we forget.

RSL Australia Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs Australian Army Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy
Image by Defence Connect

09/07/2026

In a war that left tens of thousands of Australian families in mourning, the Hutchins family suffered more than most. Mary Hutchins and her husband Henry saw seven of their nine sons off to war; only three came home.

The seven Hutchins brothers – Malcolm, William, David, Ivan, Alan, Fred and Eric – were aged between 17 and 30 and were working as labourers in their local community at Woorinen, near Swan Hill, Victoria, when they enlisted during the Second World War.

Four of the brothers – David, Alan, Fred and Eric – went on to serve in the ill-fated Gull and Lark Forces in Ambon and Rabaul. It wasn't until four years later that Mary and Henry would find out the fate of their boys.

In one week in February 1946, four telegrams arrived confirming the deaths of the four Hutchins brothers. Three of the telegrams arrived on the same day.

🔗 Learn about the Hutchins brother's story of duty and sacrifice: https://brnw.ch/21wX8QY

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📸 Image: A composite picture of Mary Hutchins and her husband Henry and their seven sons who enlisted during the Second World War. Back row, left to right: David, Malcolm, Eric, Fred, William and Ivan. Front row, left to right: Mary, Alan and Henry. P05555.015