Activities
The WRAAF Branch is active in the ex-service community and attends briefings on special topics organised by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
WRAAF Branch members march in the Brisbane ANZAC Day Parade on 25 April each year and for the past few years we have been joined by a flight of serving RAAF servicewomen from RAAF Base Amberley marching with us. We then all adjourn for lunch at a suitable venue in Brisbane.
Our Branch puts on some social activities during the year, eg, Christmas in July lunch, a WRAAF Branch Christmas Lunch in November and a Christmas morning tea for other ex-servicewomen’s associations in November or December. Most years the Branch organises a bus trip to an interesting location.
Other services we may attend include:
- Battle of the Coral Sea Commemoration Service;
- Victory in Europe Commemorative Ceremony;
- Centaur Commemorative Service;
- Indigenous Veterans’ Ceremony;
- Reserve Forces Day;
- Korean Veterans’ Day;
- Vietnam Veterans’ Day;
- Victory in the Pacific Day;
- Battle for Australia; and
- Remembrance Day in November.
All members are welcome to attend these services and functions.
Our members regularly attend the functions and events organised by other ex-servicewomen’s associations such as celebration lunches, Biggest Morning Tea and other special functions such as ex-servicewomen’s weekend celebrations.
Membership of the Council of Ex-Servicewomen’s Associations Qld
The Council of Ex-Servicewomen’s Associations Qld was formed in August 1977 with the objectives of perpetuating the spirit of friendship by mutual participation in the services of the Commonwealth, guarding the good name and preserve the interests and standing of women who have served in the Navy, Army or Air Force, make representations on behalf of the member associations and/or their members and provide facilities for the obtaining and the affording of information and advice in the interests of member associations, kindred ex-servicewomen’s associations and other ex-servicewomen.
Since 1997 the WRAAF Branch Brisbane has been a member of the Council of Ex-Servicewomen’s Associations Qld. Each association can have three delegates and one proxy to represent their association on the Council. These positions are elected at the WRAAF Branch Annual General Meeting each year in January. It is quite usual, both in the past and at present, for WRAAF Branch members to hold executive positions on the Council committee. As a member of the Council, a large number of our members attend the three major events organised by the Council each year, namely:
- Annual Church Service for all ex-servicewomen in July each year at St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane.
This service has been held for the last 25 years and was initiated by the Council to honour all ex-servicewomen.
- Tri-Service Lunch for all ex-servicewomen at the Kedron-Wavell Services Club Community Centre in August each year.
- Memorial and Wreath Laying Service for the Women of Australia and all ex-servicewomen in the memorial gardens of the Pine Rivers RSL Sub Branch, Kallangur. This service was initiated by the Council and has been held for the past 15 years.
Other association members of the Council are:
- Bundaberg Ex-Servicewomen’s Association
- Defence Service Nurses RSL Sub Branch
- Ex-Servicewomen’s RSL Sub Branch
- Hervey Bay Ex-Servicewomen’s Association
- Kedron-Wavell Ex-Servicewomen’s Association
- Maroochydore Ex-Servicewomen’s Association
- Redcliffe Ex-Servicewomen’s Club Inc
- Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps Association
- Townsville Ex-Servicewomen’s Club
- Tweed Coolangatta & District Ex-Servicewomen’s Association
- WRAAC Association Qld Inc
- WRANS Sub Section of Naval Association Australia.
WRAAF Branch Amberley Tour May2008
