As dawn breaks on Anzac Day, the doors of Newcastle’s United Services Club will be open… and its newly-appointed president will have likely been awake for hours.

Jason Gladys is a former Australian Army serviceman of nearly 23 years.

He now leads the last Veteran-owned and Veteran-run club in Newcastle, carrying forward a legacy that stretches back almost a century.

Founded in 1927 by World War I soldiers, the United Services Club was created as a place for returned servicemen to gather, long before modern RSLs became social venues.

“Back then, the RSL focused on pensions and advocacy,” Mr Gladys said.

“So, local Veterans decided to form a club where they could come together, have a drink, and just be around each other.”

Nearly 100 years on, that sense of connection remains at club, which operates almost entirely through volunteers.

On Anzac Day, Saturday 25 April, the club continues a tradition of service, offering a free breakfast to Veterans and current serving members from 6am to 3pm.

“We don’t ask for donations,” Mr Gladys said.

“If we can give Vets one free breakfast a year, they deserve it.”

The day begins early for Mr Gladys, who often sleeps at the club the night before to ensure everything runs smoothly.

While a wreath is laid at the Nobbys’ Dawn Service on behalf of the club, he stays behind to prepare for the steady stream of visitors.

“We’d expect hopefully 100 to 150 people in those early hours,” he said.

“We’d always like to see more people come through… not just for the food, but to support what we do”

Later, Mr Gladys joins the Civic Park service before returning to the club to continue his hosting duties.

For him, Anzac Day is both deeply personal and profoundly historical.

With four uncles who served in Vietnam and a grandfather who fought in World War II, he also carries his own experience of military service.

But, he believes the meaning of the day risks being lost if people don’t understand its origins.

“More people are attending Dawn Services now, which is great,” he said.

“However, I don’t think everyone knows why and that’s something we need to keep teaching.”

He explains that Gallipoli is the foundation of Anzac Day, a moment that should remain central to how Australians remember.

“We need to go back to where it started,” Mr Gladys told the Newcastle Weekly.

“They were ordinary men who did extraordinary things and that’s why we still honour them.

“We stand on the shoulders of giants to continue it.”

Inside the club, that history is carefully preserved.

Walls are lined with photographs of real members who have served, alongside artefacts collected from conflicts across generations.

As Newcastle’s last remaining Veteran-run club, Mr Gladys says its role is more important than ever.

“They did their part, remembering them is ours,” he said.

With its centenary approaching in 2027, the United Services Club stands not just as a building, but as a living tribute ensuring the spirit of Anzac Day carries on.

For more news stories:

• Best spots to play Two-Up on Anzac Day in the Hunter
• Beeros for Heroes
• Anzac Day 2026… Services across the Hunter

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