General News
19 August, 2025
Mount Isa RSL marks busy week of commemorations
The sub-branch had a jam-packed calendar to get through.
The Mount Isa RSL sub-branch has wrapped up a busy week, where it commemorated the surrender of the Japanese in World War II, remembered and honoured those who served in Vietnam, and also paid tribute to a couple of RSL stalwarts.
On Friday, a small gathering met at the Mount Isa cenotaph to mark 80 years since the Victory in the Pacific, when Japan accepted the terms of surrender.
On the morning of August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito of Japan publicly announced that Japan would accept the Allies’ ultimatum to surrender.
For Australians, this meant the end of World War II, as Germany had surrendered to the Allies three months earlier.
Nearly a million Australians served in the armed forces during this war. Of those, some 40,000 never returned to their families.
More than 17,000 had lost their lives while fighting in the war against Japan, some 8000 of whom died in Japanese captivity.
“Fellow citizens, the war is over,” Prime Minister Ben Chifley announced via a radio broadcast to the nation at 9.30am.
“Let us remember those whose lives were given that we may enjoy this glorious moment and may look forward to a peace which they have won for us.
“On behalf of the people and the Government of Australia, I offer humble thanks to the fighting men of the United Nations whose gallantry, sacrifice and devotion to duty have brought us to victory.”
On Monday, for the annual Vietnam Veterans’ Day service, the RSL revived a tradition by holding a service at the grave of Timo Esko Antero Pesonen, a Mount Isa man who was killed in action in South Vietnam on February 28 1970, aged 20.
Born in Finland, Private Pesonen had made a life in Mount Isa before heading to Vietnam to fight for his adopted country.
Following the graveside service, where Keith Cox played The Last Post for the final time in Mount Isa, a small gathering met at the sub-branch’s Bill Hilton Room at the Irish Club for refreshments and some presentations.
Keith and his wife Julie were thanked for their service to the RSL over the past two decades as they prepare to make the move south.
A second presentation was made to Mount Isa RSL stalwart Bill Hilton, who received a “Quilt of Valour”.
Helen Comport, a Victorian woman, founded Quilts of Valour Australia in the early 2010s.
The charity creates and awards handmade quilts to veterans, active service personnel, and the families of fallen heroes as a symbol of recognition for their service, sacrifice, and courage.
Inspired by her son’s military service, Helen’s initiative has grown into a national movement, providing comfort to countless veterans and their families.
Mr Hilton, a Vietnam veteran, said he was taken aback by the recognition.
“It’s a little bit embarrassing,” he told North West Weekly.
“I enlisted at 18 years of age. I didn’t get called up to National Service.”
Mr Hilton was a Leading Aircraftman in the Royal Australian Air Force.
“I was involved in loading and unloading planes and taking prisoners of war to and from,” he said.
Having served in just about every role at the Mount Isa RSL, Mr Hilton said he was disappointed that conflict continued in the Middle East and Ukraine.
“You think it’s all over and then another war starts up,” he said.
