Talk on British Legion by John Parry - Hungerford Virtual Museum

90th Anniversary of the Royal British Legion
It is a real pleasure to talk to fellow members of Hungerford Probus. My talk today is on the 90 th
Anniversary, this month, of the Royal British Legion and the 80 th Anniversary of the Hungerford
Royal British Legion Branch. I will try and link National Developments in the Legion with local
developments in Hungerford.
The RBL has many traditions one of which is that at the beginning of a meeting the exhortation is
made. Before I start my talk I would like to ask Jack Williams, the President of Hungerford Royal
British Legion Branch to give the exhortation. For those who are able to stand please do so. Jack
please give the exhortation. Thank you.
The exhortation is taken from a poem written by Laurence Binyon in the autumn of 1914. He was
a non-combatant and wrote the poem looking out to sea from a Cornish cliff. He is buried in the
churchyard at Aldworth, Berkshire.
At the same time tens of thousands of soldiers were volunteering for Kitcheners Army. One of
these soldiers was a Private Frederick Lister from 11 th Battalion the East Lancashire Regiment. He
was a volunteer with the Accrington Pals who were to go over the top on the 1 st day of the Battle
of the Somme on the 1 st July 1916. At the end of the day there were 585 casualties from a
Battalion of 700 men. Private Lister was one of the casualties. The Pals Battalion, as the name
suggests, had been raised when groups of friends from coalmines, cotton mills, factory and office
had answered the call to arms and joined Kitcheners Volunteer Army. A lot of these soldiers had
grown up as strong Trade Union members and Christians from the non-conformist tradition.
Private Lister was one such man.
Due to the wounds sustained on the Somme Private Lister was discharged and on returning home
he saw that widows and children of his dead comrades had little or no financial support. Service
organisations e.g. Army Benevolent Fund and what was to become Soldiers, Sailors and Airforce
Association existed but they were unable to cope with the number of requests for assistance.
Ex-Private Listers solution was to form the Federation of Ex-Servicemen on Trade Union lines to
fight for better conditions. At least 3 other similar organisations were formed and eventually they
came together after some heavy negotiations in May 1921 to form the British Legion. The
President was Field Marshal Haig and the Chairman was Frederick, later to be Sir Frederick Lister
who was knighted for his service to the British Legion.
From the outset the aim of the British Legion was to support the ex-service community and their
families and also to provide an opportunity for ex-comrades to meet in a social setting. It was not
and never has been a political organisation associated with any political party.
One of the Legions first tasks was to try and address the clear needs of the unemployed and
disabled ex- servicemen and their families. They lobbied Parliament and Employers organisations

ut, for the purposes of this presentation I would like to focus on the Legions role in becoming
custodians of the traditions which we associate with Remembrance e.g.
a) First Tradition - The Silence
The British Cabinet received a letter from a Sir Percy Fitzpatrick whose son had been killed in
France in 1917. Sir Percy suggested that a silence be observed on the anniversary of the ending of
the war in memory of those who had died. The Cabinet agreed and it was decided to have a 2
minutes silence on the 11 th hour of the 11 th day of the 11 th month. It was to be a complete
suspension of all normal activities. The first of these 2 minutes silences was in November 1919.
Main line trains stopped and the country came to a virtual standstill. Eventually the silence was
moved to the nearest Sunday to the 11 th November and this is what we commemorate today. This
November will be interesting in that it will be the 11 th hour of the 11 th day of the 11 th month of the
11 th year.
b) Second Tradition - Poppy Day
This is the main way in which the Royal British Legion raises funds it needs to support the exservicemen
community. The idea to use the Poppy as a symbol came from a poem written by
Captain John McCrea, a Canadian Volunteer Regimental Medical Officer on the Western Front.
He died of wounds shortly after writing this:-
“In Flanders Fields the Poppies blow between the croses row on row”
On Armistice Day in 1921 there was the first Poppy Appeal. Poppies were made by limbless and
disabled ex-servicemen in a British Legion owned factory along the Old Kent Road in London.
This was to later move to the Star and Garter on Richmond Hill and to the British Legion village
in Aylesford Kent. Last year the annual Poppy Appeal raised £35m nationally and £18.5k in
Hungerford
c) Third Tradition - Festival of Remembrance
Annually on the Saturday before Remembrance Sunday there is a Festival of Remembrance at the
Royal Albert Hall. This is a coming together of the British Legion branches throughout the
country in a multi-faith service of Remembrance. The Queen and senior members of the Royal
Family, all British Legion members, always attend. The 1 st Festival of Remembrance was held in
1927 when the Womens Section of the Royal British Legion paraded. The Womens Section had
been formed in 1921 as an equal partner.
In the inter war years there were huge challenges to the British Legion. The General Strike of
1926 saw large numbers of ex-servicemen on strike and British Legion branches in the heavily
industrial parts of our nation operated soup kitchens to try and alleviate the distress of the strikers
and their families. Something, incidentally, that was also done in the last Miners Strike in this
country by British Legion branches.

The rise of the British Union of Fascists under Sir Oswald Mosley was also a challenge to the
British Legion. The national President of the British Legion, Field Marshall Hamilton of Gallipoli
fame or notoriety depending on which book you readvisited Hitler in 1938 and stated “Hitler was
for peace”. Some branches, e.g. Thatcham, invited Nazi ex-service organisations to England in an
attempt to build bridges between ex-service groups, but nationally the British Legion stood above
party policies whilst their members exercised their democratic rights to engage in politics.
But let us move onto the Royal British Legion of today. The title Royal was awarded in 1971.
Initially I would like to focus on Hungerford RBL Branch and Club. The Branch was formed in
1931 and it met inpeople’shomes and in hotels. To my knowledge no records are available
concerning these meetings but hopefully they may come to light. The catalyst for the Branch to
become more active was ex-servicemen coming home to Hungerford after the Second World War.
A brief look at the plaques on the wall in the entrance hall will give some idea of the units and
theatres of war where Hungerford servicemen and servicewomen fought e.g. D Day Association,
Parachute Regiment, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Guards Brigade, various ships of the Royal
Navy, Merchant Navy Bomber Command, Fighter Command, Womens Royal Army Corps,
Burma Star, Far East Prisoners of War etc.
The Branch decided that they would establish a club at their AGM in May 1951 and a building
fund was started. For the record the Committee was:-
President Major Harvey (of Harveys Meadow fame)
Secretary Mr T Abbott
Treasurer Mr H Martin
Chairman Mr Holmes
Poppy Organiser Mr Audsley
Standard Bearer Mr Chapman.
As a character Mr Chapman must have been very interesting. His medals and a newspaper article
about him are on the wall to the right as you go into the Bar. He served in the Boer War and
received the following medals:-
Queen Victoria South African Medal with 6 Campaign Clasps, 1914-15 Star (Mons Star), Victory
Medal, British War Medal, Meritorious Service Medal. Unkindly known as 25 years undiscovered
crime by an NCO.
Mr Chapman must have been at least in his late 50s in 1939. He re-joined the Army by giving a
false date of birth and served for some months before he was discovered. He was put before a
Court Martial, the Colonel of which asked him when he was awarded his Meritorious Service
Medal. Mr Chapman replied that the Colonel had presented it to him in India where upon the
Colonel tore up the charge sheet, dismissed Mr Chapman and told him to try his luck with another
Regiment. A very interesting man and I would have loved to share a pint or three with him.
I am very conscious that I am relying on written records and there will be members of Probus who
know first hand more about this than I do! Please accept my apologies for my errors in advance.

Funding for this Club House was raised in a variety of ways such as dances at the Corn Exchange
and raffles. The main fund raising activity was to collect old newspapers to sell as there was a
major shortage of newsprint. At least 2 evenings a week were given up collecting this paper. It
was stored in old sheds in the Laundry yard next to the railway wall in what is now the area
controlled by Tesco and the Tesco Car Park. As an aside the Laundry apparently had an 8.00am,
1pm,2pm and 5pm whistle which was heard all over the Town with people setting their clocks by
the whistle.
Whilst this fund raising was taking place the Committee was searching for a site. They selected a
site next to the Railway Tavern, but the brewery opposed this. Obviously the thirst demands of ex
soldiers, matelots and airmen were perceived to be too much competition for their Tavern. A Mr
Sparkman’s shop adjoining Prospect Road was considered but dismised as too smal. Eventualy
they settled on this site which was adjacent to theold Regent cinema. The minutes state that “Mr
Beardsley, the owner, had accepted the offer of the Branch i.e. £50 per year rent on a 21 year lease
with an option of purchasing after 8 years. Eventually the land was purchased freehold for £250.
Today this club has an insured value of over £1/2m!
Plans were drawn up and tenders issued. All good local builders e.g. Morleys, Gibbs and
Woolridge quoted and eventually a bid of £1887 was accepted in November 1955 by Morleys the
builder. In June 1956 the new clubhouse was formally opened by General Sir Brian Horrocks of
8 th Army fame who lived locally.
Looking at the minutes we find so much of the work was done by volunteers from the Club.
Lorries, tractors, diggers etc were loaned by builders. Legion members who were tradesmen gave
their time freely on volunteer days the end of which must have been interesting as the minutes
refer to free beer for all those who have worked during the day.
But whilst all this building was taking place to erect this current Clubhouse the Branch continued
its welfare work an example of which I quote from the Treasurers Receipt Book for 1956. 23
households received bags of coal at a cost of £10 6s 11d from A Beard and Son for Christmas
1956. It was noted that the coal merchant charged the coal at cost. I understand that the coal
merchant was Jan Beard’s father. Hospital visits were made to Legion members who were sick
and gifts of packets of Woodbines and Senior Service cigarettes were given to them. Not really
sure what Drs Lois and Hugh Philens would think about that today! But I am sure the cigarettes
were most welcome. On the same page there was a donation from a Mr C Williams to the British
Legion. I think that was Jack’s Dad!
But what is the role of the Hungerford RBL Branch today?
First I must stress that the Branch is separate to the Club which is a limited company. The
Branches sole function is to raise funds for the Legion nationally and locally and to serve the exservice
community in this area from a welfare point of view where the criteria is need not want.
So what welfare work is done?

In the last year 13 members of the ex-service community in Hungerford and District have been
assisted by the volunteer caseworker at the Hungerford Branch. I will give examples of the
diversity of cases:-
a) Assisting in obtaining EPVs or motorised scooters. Following a request by a member an
assessment is made by their Doctor as to their suitability (thanks to Surgery) and a
physiotherapist visits. A fully insured scooter is then issued and this is maintained by the
Legion.
b) Help with paying funeral expenses. A widow living in a nearby village did not have enough
money to bury her husband. He was an ex Royal Navy rating who served throughout the 2 nd
World War in destroyers in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Far East. <strong>Talk</strong>ing to the widow
reminded me of John Manners excellent talk some months ago. Following the visit and an
assessment by the Royal Navy Association they met the balance of the funeral expenses and
also granted her a Jellicoe Annuity. She now has a holiday for the first time in many years. She
wrote to the Branch“Iwrite to thank the Legion for assisting with the funeral expenses for my
husband. I don’t know what I would have done without the Legions help. I’m also grateful for
the Navy to give me an Annuity every month”
c) Another example was another ex Royal Navy man who had been a Leading Seaman in charge
of a landing craft on D-Day. Certain events happened in his life which came to the attention of
the Legion. We arranged for him to have a respite holiday in Weston Super Mare at a RBL
Holiday Home known as Somerset House. We took him to Weston and on being asked if he
would like a sea view he said that he had seen enough of the sea during the War! He had a
wonderful holiday and is a really lovely old gentleman
d) The last example is outside of Hungerford but illustrates the Legions work nationally. I visited
HMP Prison Huntercombe to see an ex Grenadier Guardsman who is serving a 5 year stretch
c/o Her Majesty. He wished to complete an educational course but did not have the £150 to
pay for it. I approached the Grenadier Guards Association on his behalf and they have paid for
the course. Hopefully this will assist this gentleman when he is released from Prison.
The role of the volunteer caseworker is to either almonise with the Regimental Association, like
the Grenadier Guards, Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund or the Royal Navy Association or to act
as an information gatherer for the British Legion and send the completed information to the
Legion in Reading who then act on it.
Personally I find the role of being a volunteer caseworker to be the most rewarding aspect of
being a member of the Hungerford RBL Branch and it is in some ways very humbling to visit 2 nd
WW veterans who sometimes are too proud to apply for and accept state benefits which are their
entitlement.
A second major role of the Hungerford Branch is to raise money for the Poppy Appeal. I’ve
already mentioned that last year a small town like Hungerford raise over £18.5k from a population
of about 5,000 people. The very able, and may I say beautiful, Poppy co-ordinator leads a team of
40 volunteers who raised that money over a 2 week period.

A third role that I would like to mention is that the standard of the Hungerford Branch of the RBL
has been represented at most if not all of the repatriations of deceased servicemen whose bodies
have been returned to this country via Royal Wooton Basset from Afghanistan.
But what of the RBLs work nationally?
It is the largest and leading serving and ex service organisation and one of the UKs best known
and highly respected charities.
The stated intention is that no serving or ex-service person or their family should be without a
place to turn to when in need. There are nearly 10m people in the UK eligible for support if in
need. Recently the RBL has:-
In the last year responded to 160,000 welfare requests
Is investing with the Ministry of Defence £25m for Personnel Recovery Centres which will
provide residential accommodation for service personnel undergoing recovery after
suffering horrendous injuries in either Iraq or Afghanistan.
Is arguing strongly for a Covenant with the Government of the day whereby service men
and servicewomen have rights and obligations which the Government, in law, would be
forced to take into account. These negotiations appear to be progressing well, but with
Governments of all colours you never know.
So the Royal British Legion is 90 years old this month. In my view it is in a very strong position
but like all charities needs the financial support from the public through the Poppy Appeal and
volunteers to carry out the increasing welfare casework. It is an on-going task especially with
maintaining and increasing membership.
Before I conclude I would like to ask Alan Smith a Royal British Legion member who has held
the post of Honorary County Treasurer and Branch Chairman in East Anglia to give the Kohima
Epitaph. Please remain seated.
“When you go home tel them of us and say for your tomorow we gave our today”
Thank you Alan
In my view this statement, written on the British Armies 2 nd Division Memorial on the
Burma/India border sums up the role of the Royal British Legion in supporting members of our
Armed forces and their families.
Thank you for listening.