Where "RSL" Comes From
The RSL was founded on 6 June 1916, when representatives from New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria agreed to form the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia — a response to the fragmented, state-by-state repatriation and welfare services then available to soldiers returning from the First World War.
The organisation's name changed as its membership broadened: airmen were added in 1940, it became simply the Returned Services League in 1965, and it took its current form, the Returned & Services League of Australia, in 1990 — a change that finally allowed those who served domestically, including Darwin's WWII defenders, to become full members. Along the way, RSL clubs across the country opened their doors to the general public, evolving into some of Australia's most familiar community pubs and function venues.
Source:
"We're heading to the RSL for a cheap parma and a beer."
How Aussies Actually Use It
Today, "going to the RSL" usually just means heading to an affordable local club for a cheap meal, a drink, or a game of the pokies — the veteran-support side runs quietly in the background.
RSL clubs are famous for reliably cheap schnitzels and parmas, and are often a small town's most reliable dinner option.
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