But their suffering is not forgotten –  Albury’s Legacy branch has banded together this week for its annual badge sale, hoping to raise about $30,000 to assist these families. 

President Colin Darts knows all too well the tragedy war can inflict, having served in Vietnam between 1970-71.

“We’ve got widows who have been widowed since virtually the end of World War II,” he said.

“And they had young families at the time. Or, the veteran came home and died subsequently from injuries he sustained during the war. Everyday, they lived with this.

“When you talk to widows … that have been widowed for 40 years or 50 years – it’s still as fresh in their minds now as it was then.”

Legacy also looks after what it calls contemporary families, where a veteran is not capable of working after suffering serious injury.

The charity organisation steps in if they undergo financial hardship, helping out with school fees or clothing.

It also sends children on camps to give parents a break and little ones something to look forward to.

“They don’t come begging to us,” Mr Darts said. “The cost of living has risen so much that some families are really struggling to make ends meet.”

Mr Darts said support networks for veterans had changed since he returned from war in the early 1970s.

He came under the Veteran Entitlements Act, but newer veterans fall under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act or the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act.

“It’s like workers’ compensation,” Mr Darts told The Border Mail.

“It’s a little bit more of a challenge for them to get some assistance.

“I’m not saying the VEA’s easy by any means, but it’s a little more compassionate, I think.”

To donate, visit Legacy House at 558 Olive Street, which is open Tuesday to Thursday from 9.30am until 5pm. Alternatively, go to legacy.com.au.