A Life Member of Yarrawonga Mulwala RSL Sub-Branch, a past five-year sub-branch president, the Vietnam Veteran was presented with the Meritorious Service Medal in 2014.
The Meritorious Service Medal is over and above Life Membership and is the highest award given within the RSL; it was in appreciation of Tony’s at least 25 years outstanding service to the RSL.
Victorian State President RSL Major General David McLachlan and Rear Admiral Ken Doolan, National President RSL presented this most prestigious award to Tony at the RSL State Conference on July 2, 2014 at Caulfield Racecourse.
Just two other living Yarrawonga Mulwala Sub-Branch members Stan Clarke and Brian Cossar have been presented with this prestigious award. The late Ken Duncan and Horrie Prescott MBE were recipients of the award.
In 1998 Tony was awarded Life Membership of the RSL and this award was upgraded to Life Membership with Gold Badge in 2008.
Tony was the recipient of the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2006 for his services to the veteran community.
In 1952, at seven-years-of-age, Tony came to Australia from Rotterdam, Holland with his parents, who after 18 days at Bonegilla, farmed at Rennie, where Tony attended Rennie State School.
Later that year, the family moved to Yarrawonga. In 1965, when he was 20-years-of-age, Tony became the first Yarrawonga person to enlist in National Service.
He served in Vietnam in 1966, coming back wounded after being shot, on February 19, 1967, in the right shoulder.
Upon his return to Yarrawonga, after 304 days of Vietnam service, Tony felt a strong commitment towards the welfare of other service personnel who had also seen active service and the issues that they were confronted with upon their return to their homeland.
He immediately joined the Yarrawonga Mulwala RSL Sub-Branch, starting his long serving committee roles two years later.
Tony served on the sub-branch committee for 27 years, from 1980 to 2007, was secretary 1996-2000, president 2002-2007, Inaugural Region 9 President, Region 9 representative to Veterans’ Affairs, Welfare and Meals on Wheels organiser and volunteer.
Upon being honoured with his OAM in 2006, he said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed what I’ve been doing.”
Tony was involved in RSL matters and a committee person along with being Chairman of RSL House.
He continued to give assistance and was always available to the RSL far beyond that which could be expected and is highly regarded by the subbranch, region and state levels with his RSL involvement.
Brian Cossar OAM said when he first came to Yarrawonga, Tony gave him a welcoming hand. “We’ve been friends for 33 years,” Mr Cossar said.
“He’s always been a genuine, caring and understanding person and I’ve valued him as a person and his expertise.
“Tony’s been secretary and president of the RSL, president and secretary of Legacy, he’s received Life Membership, a Gold Badge then the highest award bestowed upon a person in the RSL, the Meritorious Service Medal.
“He was a real good quality person I’m going to miss him considerably, his integrity and honesty.”
ClubMulwala President Des O’Meara ESM OAM, said Tony will be missed by “all and sundry”. “He was a club director from 1991 to 2009 – a total of 19 years – and a Life Member,” Mr O’Meara said.
“Tony’s always been a great contributor to ClubMulwala, always interested in its future and how it’s going.”
A family funeral service for the well liked, much decorated Tony was conducted at Mulwala Lawn Cemetery on Tuesday, January 25 by Fr Steve Bohan.
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