AN ENDURING LEGACY – MARGARET TANNER
As the centenary years of the 1st World War are upon us.
I thought it appropriate to mention a charitable organization known as Legacy. It
was started after the 1st World War by returning veterans who wanted
to help the widows and children of their fallen comrades
There are certain charities that I will always donate money
to, The Red Cross and The Salvation Army, I am sure everyone would have heard
of these wonderful organizations and the great work that they do.
Legacy, which is dear to my heart, would be virtually unknown outside Australia. This organization is dedicated to supporting the widows and children of Australian service personnel who die during their war service or after it. They look after nearly 100,000 widows and close to 2,000 children. Each widow and child is provided with a Legatee, that is a volunteer, usually a veteran or a serving member of the armed forces who will act as a mentor and friend. A Legatee might have several children and widows they look out for. It is a voluntary organization and receives no government funding.
Most of the widows now are from the 2nd World War, Korea or Vietnam, but sadly, there are younger widows and children joining the Legacy ranks because of the war in Iraq, Timor and Afghanistan.
I have personal experience of the wonderful work that Legacy does. My late mother was a Legacy Widow, and they were extremely helpful to her. They fought the Veteran Affairs Department on her behalf and made it possible for her receive a War Widow’s pension from the government. Her Legatee was a returned soldier in his 80’s, and he used to regularly drop in for a chat, and to make sure she didn’t need anything, he also visited her when she was in hospital for no reward, other than the knowledge that he was helping the widow of a fallen comrade.
My novel, The Loves We Left Behind, is a Special Edition,
three book collection to mark the centenary of the 1st World War. It
is published by Books We Love and is available in print and e-book formats.
I intend donating any profits from the sale of this book to
the Melbourne branch of Legacy in memory of my mother.
THE LOVES WE LEFT BEHIND
A hundred years ago, from the far
flung corners of the British Empire, young men rushed to fight for Mother
England. They left their wives and sweethearts behind. Many of these brave
women waited in vain for their men folk to return. How did they cope with the
loss and heartache? Could they ever hope to find happiness with another man? Three
full novels, each telling a brave young woman’s story of triumph over tragedy
and adversity. Allison’s War, Daring Masquerade and Lauren’s Dilemma.
Wish we had a Legacy program in the U.S., Margaret. I can't even imagine how challenging life is for a widow or widower. I was a guardian for a couple of veterans. Advocating on their behalf with the Veterans Administration was difficult and I hadn't lost a spouse. Dealing with grief makes dealing with bureaucracy impossible.
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