Gilbert Dyett - The Architect of the RSL

In 1919, the 3-year-old Returned Sailors & Soldiers Imperial League of Australia (later to become the Returned & Services League) was in serious trouble.

Its first National President, Brigadier William Bolton, had been lured into the ruling Nationalist Party with Prime Minister Billy Hughes. The RSSILA membership saw this as defection and betrayal, while Bolton insisted he had joined politics to represent the RSSILA. No, said the Returned Men*, the President can’t be a politician. You represent us, not the government.
The league, even at this early stage, was at a crossroads. With a wealth of competing organisations, its position was precarious.

And that’s where the hero of our story enters.

In 1919, Gilbert Dyett was a 28-year-old former soldier from Bendigo. He had enlisted just 6 weeks after the outbreak of war in 1914 and had arrived at Gallipoli in June 1915 as a Lieutenant in an infantry battalion.
His fighting war was a short one, however. Just 47 days after landing, he was wounded so badly at Lone Pine that his men covered him and left him to die. Against the odds, Dyett was rescued and survived. Then, despite being told his injuries were so serious he would never use his legs again, he defied this too.
Later in life, to really rub it in, he listed “Walking” as a pastime.
Clearly, he was a man of energy, determination, and effort. A man who was defiant and fought hard whether it was for his own life or for others. Having returned from Gallipoli to Australia he didn’t rest. He launched into Army recruiting and became Australia’s most successful recruiting officer, rising to the rank of Captain by the end of the war.

Captain Gilbert Dyett, 1918

At the same time, Dyett had become the National Vice President of the RSSILA, and helped initiate the Great Ocean Road memorial project, the world’s largest war memorial, where he was the initial secretary.

By July 1919 though, the league was near to fracturing and was lacking unity. It was competing with dozens of other ex-service organisations that were filling the real and perceived needs of different groups of Returned Men, widows, dependants, and families. And at this early stage of the post-war period, it was unclear who the predominant ex-service organisation would be.

Dyett, leading the Victorian faction at the RSSILA National Congress, challenged Bolten and was elected National President, 10 to 14. But the backlash was swift. From the outset Dyett was accused by some of being too young, too inexperienced, and not senior enough in rank. The President of South Australia threatened to take him to the High Court and the delegation from New South Wales stormed out of congress.

Yet, by the 1920 National Congress, High Court challenges were a memory; Dyett was uncontested in his re-nomination for President; and even the President of South Australia, a staunch opponent, apologised for his lack of belief in him.

How did Dyett turn things around so completely in less than 12 months?
With the federal election held in December 1919, Gilbert Dyett had taken on the Australian government, and especially Billy Hughes, the Prime Minister. And he had won.

Hughes, desperate for an endorsement from the RSSILA and for the support of the returned service constituency, had been no match for Dyett’s organisation, energy, and determination. Dyett had exploited Hughes’ desperation over their 6 meetings; gaining almost every concession they sought whilst still maintaining their independence politically.
When Hughes arrived at meetings with a single aide, Dyett brought a dozen subject matter experts and battered Hughes with detail. He put on a lobbying clinic. The entitlements that Australian veterans gained as a result of Dyett’s campaigning and advocacy where the envy of the western world, vastly superior to anything seen anywhere else.

This was just the beginning for Dyett. He would remain National President for a further 27 years, but his Presidency was not without issues. A canny and smart man, he recognised when change was needed and adapted both himself and the league to issues as they emerged. When serious criticism arose around public communication and representation, Dyett listened.
Whilst the level of communication through the 1920’s is substantial (despite the changes in technology, far in excess of what veterans see from the RSL Australia President in 2025), Dyett made the decision in 1930 to noticeably increase public engagement.

Using resources like Trove.NLA.gov.au, it is easy to see how prominent this was. The newspapers of the time are filled with RSL news. From a Returned Man working a sheep farm deep in the bush to the widow struggling to raise her children in a capital city, both could be confident of opening any newspaper and within a few pagers seeing what the RSL was doing for them.
With the Great Depression hitting hard, governments were desperate to make saving where they could. In Australia, the RSSILA held the line and publicly fought to ensure those saving didn’t come at the expense of veterans. By the end of the 1930’s, the public stance had worked, and Dyett had not just maintained the leagues position, but strengthened it. Membership was booming and Australia as a nation was spending approx. 1/5 of its budget on veterans and the repatriation commission. Dyett is responsible for this success.

Continuing as National President till 1946, this humble man was everywhere; a friend to Royalty and with a direct line to the Prime Minister not just of Australia but Britain too. He was knighted in 1934 and represented veterans as the Dominion President of the British Empire Service League (essentially a service league from across the commonwealth). Australian government didn’t sneeze without Gilbert Dyett’s permission.

Gilbert Dyett, laying a wreath at the Shrine of Remembrance, 1943

Despite his high standing though, he was a man uncorrupted by power. He was known for his honesty and selflessness. To that end, he repeatedly stated he wished to resign through the 1930’s and during the Second World War but was persuaded to stay on each time.
From 1943 through, he was very clear: He wished to resign so that a younger veteran of the Second World could step in as National President. The states complained that him leaving would weaken the RSL and he was needed more than ever but in 1946 he finally convinced them to let him stand down.
His wish wasn’t to be though; He was replaced by another First World War Veteran, Sir Eric Moorhouse. It wasn’t until 1960 that his desire for generational change was achieved, and a Second World War Veteran, Arthur Lee, was elected.

Dyett, a teetotaller who didn’t smoke and didn’t gamble, worked in the racing industry throughout his 27 years as National President, being a secretary for the well-known racing entity John Wren amongst other roles.
Dyett never married, and died in 1964 after a long illness.

We should remember men like Gilbert Dyett; not just a foundational figure in Australian veteran history but a template for what principled veteran leadership can and should look like.
Unwavering in principle, tireless in advocacy, and humble in service.
His legacy reminds us that the RSL was never meant to be a passive organisation but one born from struggle, sacrifice and the need for a strong, independent voice for those that have worn our uniform. Dyett understood that leadership was not about personal ambition or individual gain, but about the responsibility to keep serving and ensure the promises made to veterans was kept.
In a time when the veteran community again faces significant challenges (frustration in DVA, declining RSL membership, and serious questions about the leagues relevance and future), Dyett’s story offers inspiration. He makes clear that we must remain true to the principles the league was founded on and maintain a clear mission, a strong voice, and a purpose unapologetically focused on veterans and their families.

We walk in the footsteps of giants, and Dyett is one of the greatest.

*Those who served overseas during the First World War referred to themselves as ‘Returned Men’, while those who served overseas during the Second World War called themselves “Returned Service Men/Women”.
Veteran only gained prominence in the second half of the 20th century.