Maleny RSL

06/06/2026

D-DAY - TODAY WE HONOR THE WOMEN WHO SERVED

6 June 1944. D-Day. 82 years ago today.

LEST WE FORGET

Five thousand ships. Ten thousand aircraft. 130,000 troops on five beaches. The liberation of Western Europe had begun — and around 3,200 Australians were part of it, mostly in the air. Thirteen were killed on that single day.

While the world watched Normandy, five Maleny-born men were serving Australia in the Pacific — John Ross Skerman (Intelligence Corps, Brisbane), William Winning (anti-aircraft, New Guinea), Terence Hunt (paratrooper training), Alan Webster (Volunteer Defence Corps, Queensland coast) and Ian Martin (Citizen Military Forces).

BUT TODAY WE HONOR THE WOMEN WHO SERVED

Fifty thousand Australian women put on a uniform in World War II. They nursed, flew, signalled, drove, administered, and held together the infrastructure of a nation at war.

They served in the AANS, the AWAS, the WAAAF, the WRANS — across Australia, the Middle East, and the Pacific. They contracted malaria and dengue fever in New Guinea jungles. They worked in field hospitals under fire. They kept men alive who would otherwise have died.

Their names belong on every honour board. Most of them aren't there.

One of those women was from Maleny.

Lieutenant Marjorie Garcia Webster.
Australian Army Nursing Service.
Service No. QX43174.
"Yaralla", Maleny, Queensland.

Marjorie enlisted on 20 January 1942. She was a trained nurse, 26 years old, living at the family property in Maleny. Six weeks after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, she volunteered for the AIF.

She was posted to the 106th Australian Casualty Clearing Station and in November 1943 flew into New Guinea — one of the most brutal theatres of the Pacific war. She rotated between field hospitals and casualty clearing stations, caring for the wounded in jungle heat, far from home.

The war cost her dearly:
— February 1944 — evacuated with severe dengue fever
— November 1944 — evacuated with malaria, transferred to Margate Convalescent Home to recover

Both times, she returned to duty.

She was promoted to Lieutenant in March 1943 and kept serving after the war ended — posted to military hospitals in Brisbane and Heidelberg through 1946, 1947 and into 1948.

Six years and six months. Dengue fever. Malaria. New Guinea. And she never stopped.

Her brother Alan served alongside her in spirit — a Maleny dairy farmer in the Volunteer Defence Corps, defending Queensland's coast. A Maleny family, both in uniform, both serving.

Marjorie earned the 1939/45 Star, the Pacific Star, the War Medal 1939/45 and the Australia Service Medal.

She is honoured on the Caloundra Shire of Landsborough WWII Roll of Honour.

Today, on the anniversary of D-Day, we remember Marjorie Garcia Webster — and every Australian woman who served.

Their contribution was equal. Their sacrifice was real.

Lest We Forget. 🎖️

📍 Maleny RSL Sub-Branch | 1 Bunya Street, Maleny QLD 4552
☎ 0438 403 624 | rslmaleny.org.au

All service members join FREE.

Do you have a family connection to Marjorie or Alan Webster?
Drop a comment or come and see us at the Hall.

31/05/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18iJQn8T21/?mibextid=wwXIfr

30/05/2026

LEST WE FORGET

31 May 1916. The Battle of Jutland.
274 warships. 70,000 sailors. 9,500 dead. The largest naval battle in history — and the only time Britain's Grand Fleet and Germany's High Seas Fleet ever met face to face.

No Australian warship was there. But Australians were. When HMS Defence was sunk with all hands, two young RAN officers went down with her — Sub-Lieutenant Joseph Mack, 19, and Sub-Lieutenant George Paterson, 20.
The Navy's shadow fell long over this country. And it fell on Maleny.

Twenty-six years later, a young man from the Sunshine Coast hinterland decided it was his turn to serve.

He was 21 years old and living in the Maleny district when he walked into the recruiting office and signed up for the Navy.
Stoker Alexander James Dickson Service Number B3441, Royal Australian Navy —
one of our own. ⚓

Alexander James Dickson was born in Eumundi on 19 July 1920. On 9 January 1942 — just weeks after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and plunged the Pacific into war — he enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy at Maleny. He was 21 years old.

Alex served as a Stoker — the men who kept the engines turning and the ships moving. Deep in the heat of the engine room, far below the waterline, Stokers were the heartbeat of every vessel in the fleet. Without them, nothing moved. Without them, nothing fired. They were, in every sense, the power behind the fight.

His home port was Brisbane — HMAS Moreton — the Royal Australian Navy's Queensland headquarters on the Brisbane River, which throughout the war supported the Allied campaign across the Pacific.

Alex served for four years and four months, surviving the entire Pacific war. He was discharged on 9 May 1946 and came home to the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

He became a member of the Maleny RSL Sub-Branch, where he is photographed on Bunya Street alongside his mates — Leo Clancy and Jim Smith (both Army, WWI) and Alf Wilcocks (RAAF, WWII). Four veterans. Two wars. One community.

Today, on the anniversary of Jutland, we honour the naval tradition that men and women like Alex carried forward.

We will remember them. 🎖️

📍 Maleny RSL Sub-Branch | 1 Bunya Street, Maleny QLD 4552
☎ 0438 403 624 | rslmaleny.org.au
All service members join FREE.



http://www.rslmaleny.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Maleny-veterans-Lawyer-Street.jpg

30/05/2026

30/05/2026

LEST WE FORGET

31 May 1916. The Battle of Jutland.

274 warships. 70,000 sailors. 9,500 dead. The largest naval battle in history — and the only time Britain’s Grand Fleet and Germany’s High Seas Fleet ever met face to face.

No Australian warship was there. But Australians were. When HMS Defence was sunk with all hands, two young RAN officers went down with her — Sub-Lieutenant Joseph Mack, 19, and Sub-Lieutenant George Paterson, 20.

The Navy’s shadow fell long over this country. And it fell on Maleny.

He was 21 years old and living in the Maleny district when he walked into the recruiting office and signed up for the Navy. Stoker Alexander James Dickson, Royal Australian Navy — one of our own. ⚓

Alexander James Dickson was born in Eumundi on 19 July 1920. On 9 January 1942 — just weeks after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and plunged the Pacific into war — he enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy at Maleny. He was 21 years old.

Alex served as a Stoker — the men who kept the engines turning and the ships moving. Deep in the heat of the engine room, far below the waterline, Stokers were the heartbeat of every vessel in the fleet. Without them, nothing moved. Without them, nothing fired. They were, in every sense, the power behind the fight.

His home port was Brisbane — HMAS Moreton — the Royal Australian Navy’s Queensland headquarters, which throughout the war supported the Allied campaign across the Pacific.

Alex served for four years and four months, surviving the entire Pacific war. He was discharged on 9 May 1946 and came home to the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

He became a member of the Maleny RSL Sub-Branch, where he is photographed on Bunya Street alongside his mates — Leo Clancy and Jim Smith (both Army, WWI) and Alf Wilcocks (RAAF, WWII). Four veterans. Two wars. One community.

Today, on the anniversary of Jutland, we honour the naval tradition that men and women like Alex carried forward.

We will remember them. 🎖️

📍 Maleny RSL Sub-Branch | 1 Bunya Street, Maleny QLD 4552

☎ 0438 403 624 | rslmaleny.org.au

All service members join FREE.

19/05/2026

We’re incredibly grateful to receive a generous $1000 donation to the Maleny RSL Sub-Branch from local business Twigg Puzzles following sales of their special Anzac Day puzzle.

Kelly and her husband, owners of Twigg Puzzles, kindly donated 10% of all puzzle sales to our Sub-Branch in support of the work we do within our community. Today, Kelly presented the donation alongside Toby from Maleny Additions, with Giok and Jean proudly accepting on behalf of the Sub-Branch.

We would like to sincerely thank Twigg Puzzles for their generosity and support of veterans and the wider Maleny community. The Anzac Day puzzles are available online through Twigg Puzzles and locally at Maleny Additions.

Community support like this means so much — thank you for helping us continue the work we do. 🇦🇺

25/04/2026

25/04/2026

24/04/2026

Reminder for Anzac Day today, below are the services:

Anzac Day at Maleny RSL
Join us this Anzac Day to honour our servicemen and women. We'll be holding services and ceremonies at Maleny RSL, a meaningful way to pay your respects and be part of the community.

15/04/2026

Anzac Day at Maleny RSL
Join us this Anzac Day to honour our servicemen and women. We'll be holding services and ceremonies at Maleny RSL, a meaningful way to pay your respects and be part of the community.