Remembrance Day 2020 – Message from our CEO

* 11 November 2020 *

Comrade.

What does this word mean to you?

Google tells me that the word ‘comrade’ comes from the Spanish word, camarada, which literally means ‘chamber mate’ or ‘roommate’.

According to the dictionary, a comrade is a trusted friend, especially one you have shared a difficult or dangerous activity with. The UK version is ‘comrade-in-arms’ and the word has long been associated with those in combat.

Comradeship or camaraderie is one of our Promises to our community. Why? Because our community has told us that camaraderie is one of the most important aspects of their lives. This knowledge comes from our in-depth research a number of years ago, and is one way that the Vasey RSL Care community differs from other aged care organisations, and, gives us a strong connection to the armed forces and all those organisations – ex-service organisations – that support them.

The camaraderie that forms among the close-knit groups serving in combat combines many qualities, including:

Friendship or mateship,

Trust in each other,

Understanding of one another,

And loyalty towards the group.

Camaraderie develops in adversity – where reliance on each other can mean the difference between life and death. Perhaps only those who have fought together can know the full extent of its meaning.

You are probably familiar with the phrase ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’. The phrase itself has become part of our language!

This is the name of a 1929 book by German author and World War I veteran, Erich Maria Remarque, and it became the 1930 war movie of the same name. What was supposed to be a six-week battle to gain ground to the west of Germany became a three year war of attrition with huge losses on both sides.

‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ describes the journey of a German schoolboy and his classmates, from eagerly joining the army to the reality of the trenches. Throughout the story, the importance of the group of comrades grows as they share common experiences that can never be understood by those who were not there. At the same time, it breaks down other divisions like wealth and class. Their differences drop away as their camaraderie increases.

Many in our community will know what this means. They have experienced the bonds of fighting together and putting their life at risk. They know what it is to truly rely on their mates and to be relied on by them.

The rest of us can never fully appreciate what that must be like.

In this year – 2020 – we have had a small taste of what it might be like: we’ve all had hardships to put up with. From the bushfires and the terrible loss of life, homes and wildlife this time last year, to concerns about the future of our organisation, and the arrival of the pandemic in February, it has been a year of adversity.

No, it’s not comparable with being on the real front line in battle. But it hasn’t been a walk in the park either.

We have not had to face gunfire, bombs or shelling. But we have had to face a silent invisible killer.

Residents and clients have been confined, activities limited, contact with loved ones halted: for some, there has been quarantine and isolation. Families have had to stay away to protect their loved ones. Staff have been asked to take on extra tasks, distance themselves from their loved ones and be here, taking all the precautions they can. It has not been easy.

And it’s still not over. Things are improving and we all hope this will continue. But the virus is still out there. Silent and invisible.

With a common enemy, our community has shown the qualities of mateship, trust in each other, understanding of what we are going through together, and loyalty to one another. Our own camaraderie has grown as we’ve fought the virus together.

We’ve done what we’ve had to do – and at those sites where we had to go into lockdown, we’ve seen all parts of our organisation step up to support each other to fight this virus. We’ve had to rely on each other and trust each other to do their job. Our mateship has grown as we all work through the difficulties in our own lives. And we’ve seen loyalty to each other and to the Vasey RSL Care community.

We’ve also experienced the camaraderie of the ex-service community: we’ve had support from the Cranbourne Young Veterans, Highett RSL and RSL Victoria providing face masks for our ex-service unit residents. Various deliveries have been received through the Noble Park RSL members and a number of other sub-branches. The Vietnam Veterans Association Australia has made a donation for our ex-service unit sites and younger veterans have worked as support assistants during our outbreaks at Ivanhoe and Frankston South.

Support for our veterans and war widows has come in countless forms from groups throughout the ex-service community.

We’ve seen what camaraderie means.

What we’ve all experienced this year is just a small taste of what our armed forces experience.

Today we remember all those men and women who have served their countries, from World War I and earlier, right through to today.

We think of those who were changed forever by their service – physically injured, mentally scarred.

And we remember those who did not return.

Lest we forget.