Legacy Centenary Torch Relay

The Legacy Centenary Torch Relay 2023, presented by Defence Health will travel through the streets of Cowra on Tuesday, 1st August and be carried by a number of local Torch Bearers, who include Legacy Beneficiaries and Legatees along with Defence personnel and Legacy Supporters.

Among our Cowra torchbearers are Legatees Frank Bridges, Ray Walsh, John McLaren, Jenny Friend and Paul Smith. We also have other well known locals with a strong Legacy connection, Kaye Kilby, Rowena Casey and past junior legatees, or junior beneficiaries as they are known today, Andy Croker and Bev Bundy. We are honoured to have beneficiaries of Lachlan Legacy – Cowra, Rita Wade, Betty Adams and Sally Prass who will be carrying the torch and past president of Lachlan Legacy, Barry Tucker, and Harry Telfer the son of Keith Telfer who was also a past president for many years. We also welcome a past legatee from Young, Ken Donoghue to join us in our relay.

The Legacy Centenary Torch Relay 2023 presented by Defence Health is a six-month campaign, with satellite events (Relays), which began travelling from the battlefields in Pozieres France in the lead up to ANZAC Day 2023, then onto Menin Gate, Belgium, through the streets of London, before it returned home to Australia, landing in Albany, Western Australia in May 2023. From there it has been travelling around Australia to visit all 44 Legacy clubs in Australia.

It will come through Forbes on Monday, 31st July, and then in Cowra on Tuesday, 1st August. The relay will start from Cowra Showground at 11am and do a tour of the CBD ending at Cowra’s Peace Bell where a cauldron will be lit in remembrance. On the way we will be unveiling a commemorative plaque in Squire Park and laying a wreath at the memorial outside Club Cowra, in honour of past veterans, legatees and beneficiaries of Legacy. All up The Torch will travel 50,000 km, through 100 locations, carried by approx. 1,500 torch bearers and involving over 2000 volunteers. The torch represents the undying flame of service and sacrifice of those who gave their lives for their country.

We ask that people come out on the day and line the route to wave us on. This is a significant event for an organization that usually just works diligently in the background, keeping the promise made 100 years ago.

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