David ‘Paddy’ McDiarmid is the Werribee RSL sub branch vice-president and appeals officer. He chats with Alesha Capone.
When did you join the RSL?
I first joined the RSL in 1979, in Alphington, and I joined the Werribee RSL 16 years ago, after I moved into Werribee. In less than two years, I joined the committee and then after some time, I stood for vice-president and have now been in the role for nine years – and I’ve been the appeals officer for longer. But I’ll never catch up with our president Daryl Ryan – he has been here for around 30 years.
What are your main duties in the Werribee RSL?
As the appeals officer, I help to organise the selling of Anzac tokens and poppies. Every year we distribute these to local businesses, organisations and schools. The drop-off to schools is very ably done by our welfare bus drivers Ron and Daryl. I also look after the older people. I have got some ladies who go around to the nursing homes to visit RSL members who live there, and I also go and visit quite a few. I have the pleasure of visiting Mr Eric Johnston (Mr Johnston is a former World War II prisoner of war who lives in Manor Lakes). Organising fundraising sausage sizzles at Bunnings is another thing I do.
What do you like about your role in the Werribee RSL?
Raising the money to assist RSL personnel and looking after the older people is what I enjoy most. The Victorian RSL is an organisation that, with all the money we raise, goes to welfare. We’re here to help people and that is our main aim, to help who we can. With our welfare work, for example, what happens is that when we have a person – such as a war widow – who cannot mow the grass after her husband has died, we send people to mow the grass and look after her garden. Ron will also take people to medical appointments on the bus. Ron sometimes operates that bus seven days a week. He takes the elderly people on trips, too.
Why did you join the RSL in the first place?
I was a member of both the British and Australian armed forces. I was in the army for a fair amount of years. I enjoyed the sport and the comradeship. That’s why I joined the RSL, where you’ve still got the comradeship. All the RSLs work together hand in hand to help any other sub-branch in trouble.
As a resident of Werribee South, what do you like about the area?
I don’t like living blocked in, but in Werribee South I’ve got open space. The people there, especially the farmers, are very friendly.
