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The British Legion
The History of The British Legion commenced with
its formation on Sunday 15 May 1921 by the
amalgamation of four other associations:
National Association of Discharged Sailors
and Soldiers* (1916)
First to be formed was the National Association of Discharged Sailors and
Soldiers, established following a meeting in Blackburn in September 1916 and
initially linked to the labour and trade union
movement.
British National Federation of
Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers
(1917)
 In
April 1917, the Asquith Liberal MP James Hogge sponsored a meeting at the National Liberal Club over the
Military Service (Review of Exceptions) Bill, which proposed to reclassify those
invalided out of the army to identify those who might be recalled to service.
This meeting led to the formation of the National Federation of Discharged and
Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers.
Comrades of The Great War
(1917)
 The
Comrades of The Great War were formed in 1917
as a non-political association to represent the
rights of ex-service men and women who had
served or had been discharged from service
during The Great War 1914-1918.
Officers'
Association (1920)
The amalgamation of these
four diverse bodies can be attributed largely to
two men Field Marshall Earl Haig and Mr T F
Lister of The Federation of Discharged and
Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers.
The Royal Charter
1925 Conference saw the introduction of the
Legion's Royal Charter, nearly four years in the
making, at last giving formal status and
empowered it with the authority that covered
every aspect of it's work for the ex-service
community. Although changed many times over the
years it is still the focus of the Legion today.
The Royal British Legion
1971
was another landmark year in the history of the
Legion not only did it celebrate its 50th
anniversary. But it was the year that the Queen
had granted the Legion with the prefix 'Royal'
in its title.
 It also entitled some other
changes in that the Queen's crown had to be
added to
the badge (example right of The Royal
British Legion lapel badge in Gold) and The National
Standard (not Region, County, Group or Branch)
of The Royal British Legion. This process involved the Queen's
approval to the Royal College of Heralds, the
Garter Kings of Arms, the Home Office and
Ministry of Defence (Navy) and taking over a
year to accomplish.
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Notes: * The
National Association of Discharged Sailors and
Soldiers Badge photograph by permission of Mrs
Tracy Fowler, Gloucestershire.
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TA Veterans from around the United Kingdom are invited to attend the
National TA100 Armed Forces Memorial Parade and Service at the National Memorial
Arboretum Staffordshire. Saturday 13th September 2008 1400 hours.
Contact
Bob Rankin
TA
Veterans
Organiser for TA Veterans, Royal British Legion & Regimental Associations
Telephone: 01782 444246
Mobile: 07921 611280. Click on link to the
TA100 Armed Forces Memorial
Event page.
Take a visit to
British Legion Memorabilia
Collectors Club
a dedicated web site for the serious collector of British Legion History. |
