I’ve see all sorts of advertising and media stories on Legacy week.
An interview I saw on a morning news program a returned service man was talking about his involvement in Legacy and his reasons for doing so.
In combat he had lost a good friend who, while he was dying, had asked his friend to look after his family as he wasn’t going to make it back.
The interview touched me so I did some research into Legacy and looked around at what was out there in the media about it.
I felt Legacy was sold to the public in the media as another charity organisation with little detail into what Legacy actually stood for.
During Legacy Week we should have an understanding of the true comradery behind the organisation, rather than the thought of just another charity to which we donate.
Comradery in the defence force is a mate-ship forged from sharing the hardship and struggle of the military life.
At the heart of war there was humanity, where promises were made between mates to care for one another’s loved ones should they not return home.
A vow often made to ease the burden of responsibility for dying mates, from those fortunate enough to survive times of combat.
On the return home they deal with being a survivor of war, the deep sadness of seeing mates fall and an undying guilt for those comrades who died fighting beside them.
Questioning themselves, why them and not you? What could I have done save them?
The best these people could do was to fulfill the promises made to care for those left behind.
Hence, Legacy came about in 1923 organised by ex-servicemen with the aim to care for dependents of deceased Australian service men and women from World War l, and ongoing to those who serve in current peace keeping operations.
That’s 91 years of a promise well kept and true comradery living on, of which we as journalists and members of the public could all do our part and honour.