Completing the "Saluting their Service" Programs

During 2020 and 2021 our sub-branch was fortunate enough to receive two separate annual grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs to:

1. Preserve Australia's wartime heritage and to involve people throughout the nation in a wide range of projects and activities that highlight the service and sacrifice of Australia's service personnel in wars, conflicts, and peace operations
2. Promote appreciation and understanding of the experiences of service and the roles that those who served have played in shaping the nation.

Thelma Zimmerman

Our programs focused on South Australian veterans and their families and were joint ventures with Christian Teusner's "The Emu Tree". Our sub-branch managed the grant and Christian did all the groundwork on our behalf recording hundreds of oral interviews and collecting hundreds of historical photographs. He also held displays at Ayres House, Adelaide, Tanunda, Port Pirie, Waikerie, Mount Gambier. 

Mrs Thelma Zimmerman, whose photo appears here served during World War II as did her husband. Mrs Zimmerman provided a very informative audo interview that reflects on life in her childhood. If you have a few minutes to listen to it, we highly recommend it - click here.

There are too many others who contributed to mention each of them, however, we appreciate every last one of them for allowing us to share their lives and helping make these programs a success.

We do have all of the audio recordings that can be searched here. You may even find a member of your family or someone you know.

The audio recordings and photographs will be distributed to a suitable agency for addition to our vast national collection of historical military resources. The DVA will advise whether the collection should be passed to the Australian War Museum, the National Archives, or some other relevant agency.

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