War Widows Day

Honour their strength this War Widows Day

War Widows Day is a day of recognition for those who have carried the lifelong impact of losing a partner through defence service. It is a time to honour their resilience, acknowledge their sacrifices, and ensure their stories are never forgotten.

For more than 100 years, their stories have remained largely unseen and untold, and their sacrifice has remained unrecognised. Until now.

War Widows Day brings their stories into the light. It provides a moment to recognise the courage, resilience, and contribution of Australia’s war widows. For generations, war widows have carried the untold burden of loss, raising families and holding communities together after the service and sacrifice of their loved ones.

It is essential for the Australian community to get involved.

Honour and remember the war widows in your community by adding their story to the War Widows Honour Roll, attending our ceremony held at the Cenotaph on 19 October, and purchasing an exclusive wattle pin. Each act of support helps ensure no widow is forgotten.

War Widows Day

Honouring the stories of love and sacrifice

Get involved

War Widows Honour Roll

We invite you to share the story of a war widow who has touched your life. Whether it’s a short reflection, a treasured memory, or a few lines about their life and impact, every story contributes to preserving their legacy.

Stories will be shared on our website in the lead-up to War Widows Day 2025, forming part of a collective tribute from families, friends, and the wider defence community.

Community events

With more than 50% of war widows on our register living regionally, we know how important it is to ensure the day is marked in local communities. We invite every Families of Veterans Guild member, as well as Legacy and RSL clubs and branches across the state, to gather on this day and hold a morning tea.

Hosting an event in your community is a wonderful way to honour our war widows and widowers on the day – showing our support and appreciation for their tireless work.

If you’re organising an event in your local community, we’d love to hear what you are planning. We’re also very happy to share images and communication material to help you promote your activity.

Show your support

Stand with our war widows and widowers and show your support through purchasing a War Widows Day lapel pin. The War Widows Day pin is a limited-edition symbol of remembrance and solidarity. Wearing it honours the lives of more than 40,000 surviving war widows and widowers across Australia and shows respect for their enduring strength.

Make a donation. War widows should never carry their journey alone. Your donation helps us provide vital services, advocacy, and community connection that strengthen the lives of war widows and veteran families. Together, we can honour their sacrifices and ensure they are supported for generations to come.

Make a donation

Purchase a War Widows Day pin

Show your support

Stand with our war widows and widowers and show your support through purchasing a limited release lapel pin or support our ‘Buy a Widow a Coffee’ campaign. Both initiatives will raise much-needed funds to help Families of Veterans Guild continue delivering and supporting our social connections program.

Our social connections program funds gatherings and outings for war widows’ social groups (Guild and Social Clubs). All donations made through the ‘Buy a Widow a Coffee’ campaign will go towards funding events for war widows in these social groups.