The Royal British Legion: 90 Years of Heroes

By Matt Croucher and The Royal British Legion

The Royal British Legion was founded in 1921. It is now the country’s leading charity providing financial, social and emotional support to those who have served or who are currently serving in the British Armed Forces and their dependants. The RBL is behind the annual Poppy Appeal, the highest profile charity appeal in Britain.

This book has the full support of the Royal British Legion and will tell the complete story of its history through exclusive access to its archives, thus providing a celebratory, as well informative, tribute to their work over the past 90 years. It will be the definitive history of this much-loved organisation, charting its work with soldiers and ex-servicemen through the stories of its heroes, famous as well as unknown, during the highest-profile military campaigns of the past 90 years. The book will be divided into nine chapters, each representing one decade in the RBL’s existence. Each chapter will celebrate one hero per year; 1921, 1922, 1923, etc. giving an account of that particular person, and what they achieved. Within each chapter will be special spreads that emphasise also the social history of the evolution of the RBL as a charity. Each one of the heroes, from 1921 right through to 2011, has been personally chosen by decorated royal marine, and RBL ambassador, Lance Corporal Matt Croucher GC. Men such as Major Robert Henry Cain VC (1909-1974), who destroyed six tanks during Operation ‘Market Garden’ at Arnhem in 1944 and was one of the only officers from his battalion to escape the German encirclement of the British 1st Airborne Division.

The book was published in late autumn to coincide with the 2011 Poppy Appeal, which will be the biggest in the Legion’s history, with events running nationwide, TV advertising, celebrity involvement and a high-profile marketing campaign. Matt Croucher will be involved in the campaign as an ambassador for the RBL. For any serving member of the armed forces, or those retired from service, or members of the public who are keen to know about this beloved organisation; this will be a fascinating and valued purchase, knowing that royalties will be going to the charity themselves.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Sep 15, 2011
• ISBN: 9780007441549

Book preview

Contents

Cover

Title Page

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

1921-30:    FOUNDATION AND EARLY STEPS

1931-40:    THE LEGION IN PEACE AND WAR

1941-50:    THE LEGACIES OF WAR

1951-60:    THE STRUGGLE FOR PENSIONS

1961-70:    CHANGE AND RENEWAL

1971-80:    THE BIRTH OF THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

1981-90:    A NEED FOR CHANGE

1991-2000:    TOWARDS A NEW MILLENNIUM

2001-2011:    90 YEARS OF SERVICE

Index

Acknowledgements

Copyright

About the Publisher

FOREWORD

It is a great privilege to introduce the Royal British Legion’s 90 Years of Heroes. I have had the honour of commanding British Forces at every level from platoon upwards over the past 40 years and have learned many things about heroism. While it is clear that those represented in this book represent the very best of our people and our nation, there are heroes among our men and women other than those who wear medals.

Every time I go to visit troops in Helmand or at an air station or on a warship, I am reminded of the raw courage needed by so many to do their daily jobs, willingly going on patrols that they know put them in harm’s way, consciously diving in dangerous waters or flying over enemy positions which test their nerves, as any moment could change their future for ever. This quiet courage, the kind that is often unreported and too often unrewarded, is the ordinary, daily life for many of the young men and women I am so honoured to lead. It reminds me of the times my father did much the same in the Second World War and others, including my grandfather, did the same nearly a century ago.

The title 90 Years of Heroes applies just as well to the Royal British Legion. Over the years the Legion has heroically defended the rights of servicemen and servicewomen who have returned from combat to find the hardest challenges before them – adapting to life-changing injuries and getting on with ordinary life. This quiet heroism, and the heroism of those who supported and still support them, is a vital part of what makes the Legion so essential to the fabric of our military covenant.

For all these reasons I am honoured to be part of this appeal for the Royal British Legion and look forward to the book exceeding all fundraising targets.

SIGNATURE

General Sir David Richards

GCB, CBE, DSO, ADC Gen.

Crown Copyright: Dave Husbands, Royal Navy

INTRODUCTION

Ever since I can remember, I have been aware of the Royal British Legion and what it stands for, from my mum pinning a poppy to my chest and taking me along to church on Remembrance Sunday when I was a toddler, right through to the present day, when I have more direct involvement in fundraising and am a representative for the charity.

Even though my immediate family weren’t in the military, my wider family have always served in the forces. My uncle was a British Army officer, my grandfather was an active Royal Naval officer during the Second World War, and the links continue back through our family tree.

I have always had a passionate interest in the military and planned to join at the earliest possible opportunity. And so I became an Air Training Corps cadet at 13. Although I enjoyed the RAF side of the military, and the flying in particular appealed to me, my passion lay with getting all camouflaged up and running round the woods.

From the age of 14 my ambition was to join the Royal Marines. They had the longest and hardest basic training of any elite force in NATO and I had bought a video all about it. I was keen on sports when I was young, particularly athletics, football, martial arts, boxing and rugby and this, allied with my enjoyment of running around at cadets with a rifle and wearing camouflage, made me think the Royal Marines would be ideal for me. 

In the year 2000 I passed my aptitude, medical and selection tests for the Royal Marines and soon began training. Without question, it was the hardest and most challenging thing I’ve ever done. It was daunting at the age of 16, starting training with 60 other recruits, knowing that about two-thirds of you weren’t going to make it and there were huge obstacles to overcome. Each day over the next nine months brought new challenges and pushed me that little bit harder. It was totally worth it at the end, though – when I received my coveted green beret it was one of the proudest moments of my life. 

Since then I have undertaken two tours of duty in Iraq with the Royal Marines, one working for the United Nations. More recently I have undertaken a tour in Afghanistan, and was subsequently awarded the George Cross by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on 30 October 2008. Nothing can prepare you for receiving a Class 1 medal and I’m sure everyone else who has received either a George Cross or Victoria Cross will tell you the same: it brings overwhelming media attention, followed by an abundance of requests!

It took a good 12–18 months for me to feel grounded again and to get used to these new pressures and responsibilities. I was offered all kinds of TV shows and appearances but I didn’t really feel comfortable with any of that.

I decided to turn my attention to raising awareness and money for military charities. To tell the truth, this was made a lot easier by the fact I had a George Cross. Doors opened that would normally remain closed, and people who would ordinarily ignore you were overjoyed to assist. I’ve obtained items for auctions that have raised five-figure sums, raised thousands through book signings and worked with many individuals to help their events raise as much as possible. I’m glad to say that to date I’ve helped raise well over £100,000 for Forces’ charities as well as giving my advice, guidance and support to a number of others. I’m continuing the tradition with this book for the Royal British Legion’s 90th Anniversary, which I hope will raise another £100,000 before Christmas 2011.

I don’t consider myself any more of a hero than anyone else who serves Queen and Country. Other Marines would have done exactly the same as I did if I hadn’t been fulfilling that role that night. I’ve witnessed some very brave feats by individuals, and many have gone unrecognised.

The people I’ve featured in this book have done more than the ‘odd thing’ for their country or the Royal British Legion. They’re people that stick out from the crowd; people who have contributed hugely to our society and worked tirelessly to protect what we call Great Britain and make it the free country we enjoy today. Life would be very different if it weren’t for people like these, making great sacrifices in order to uphold what we believe in. And this is why I feel so passionately about our servicemen and women and the aftercare and support they should receive. It is my aim over this 90th Anniversary year to raise as much money as possible for the Royal British Legion, because our veterans deserve it.

During these times of financial cuts, restraints and hardship, please spare a thought for our military personnel active all over the world, often working for wages far lower than the national average and conditions far worse than those common in Great Britain:

• Mechanic Gary, who has a patch of desert, a tent and an endless queue of vehicles to fix for the next six months, working extra long hours, seven days a week in 50°C heat.

• Marine Steve, who has spent the last two months getting shot at every day and who has just witnessed his best friend being blown up.

• Pilot Michelle, who works around the clock, maximising her flying hours each day to deliver troops, food, ammo and medical supplies around the battle zone, always at the risk of being shot down.

• Navy medic Sam, whose skills have never been put to the test before: suddenly he has to treat four critically wounded casualties whilst under fire, prioritising who has the best chance of survival and working on them first. The nearest hospital is 100 miles away and the nearest evacuation helicopter is 20 minutes away.

The ninety people you are about to discover, spanning the period the Royal British Legion has been in existence, demonstrate the wide variety of military and peacetime experiences our country has lived through. From the inter-war years, through the global conflict with Nazi Germany and its Fascist allies, to the many ‘police actions’, our servicemen and women have displayed their unique courage in winning whatever personal action they found themselves in. Naturally we will also read about modern-day heroes, seeing action in the Falklands, as well as in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

I have tried to find a hero for every year; and whether it is because they actually saw service in that period, or happened to have been born, or in some cases, died that year, this takes the reader on a thorough journey through British military life over the past nine decades. I hope you enjoy discovering these men and women’s deeds and exploits just as much as I did when researching the book with my co-writer, Marcus Cowper.

Matt Croucher GC

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Press Association: PA Archive/Press Association Images

Outside Buckingham Palace after receiving my medal from the Queen.

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Press Association: PA Archive/Press Association Images

Derek Derenalagi, Jeremy Clarkson and I wearing our poppies last year.

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Press Association: PA Archive/Press Association Images

The damage a trip-wire device can do to your gear if you decide to smother it!

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Royal British Legion

1920s

1921–1930

Foundation and early steps

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Royal British Legion

With so many servicemen returning to civilian life, unemployment was rife. One of the newly formed Legion’s roles was to help find work for these men.

The First World War had inflicted death on a grand scale on those who participated in it, the unparalleled level of mobilisation led to matching numbers of casualties, and the government of the day was overwhelmed by the task of trying to provide for those who had been afflicted. There was a clear need for an organisation to represent the voices of those left widowed or disabled by the war to end all wars.

Even before the end of the First World War, efforts were underway to provide a voice for those who had served in the British armed forces. In fact, three completely separate organisations had formed by the end of 1917: the National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers, founded in Blackburn in 1916 and loosely affiliated with the Trades Union movement and the Labour Party; the National Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers, based in London and with links to the Liberal Party; and the Comrades of the Great War, a non-political organisation that nonetheless had extensive links with the establishment of the day. These three organisations were joined by the left-wing National Union of Ex-servicemen following the end of the First World War in November 1918. A number of efforts were made to unite these disparate groups, but it was not until the foundation of the United Services Fund, containing some £7 million in canteen profits from the war, that they managed to combine in order to ensure the fair distribution of the fund throughout the country.

At the same time, Field Marshal the Earl Haig, the commander of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War, had been leading a fundraising campaign for a united organisation providing assistance to ex-officers, the Officers Association. It became clear that a single body representing all these interests would best serve the needs of those whom they sought to help.

In 1920 a conference brought about the amalgamation of all these bodies, ratified by their individual members. On 14 May 1921 the new unified organisation was founded under the name the British Legion, with the Prince of Wales as its patron and Earl Haig as its first president.

The Legion had much to do. The first Poppy Appeal was launched the same year, widely supported by Earl Haig and timed to coincide with Armistice Day, 11 November. This proved to be an enormous success and provided the funds for the Legion to support those affected by the First World War, either directly – in terms of financial aid, employment or housing – or by raising political awareness of their plight through constant campaigning. The Legion was also central to the commemoration of the conflict, being deeply involved in the establishment of 11 November as Remembrance Day, and the later adoption of Remembrance Sunday, while 1927 saw the first Legion-organised Festival of Remembrance.

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Royal British Legion

The Legion was also heavily involved in the commemoration of the First World War, and organised a pilgrimage of some 11,000 people to the battlefields of the Western Front in 1928.

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Imperial War Museum: PST 10994

An early Legion poster promoting the Poppy Appeal that did so much so fund the Legion’s activities.

With the passing of Earl Haig in 1928, the Legion played a central role in his funeral. This was a moment of national mourning, for Haig’s reputation was as yet untouched by criticism of his wartime tactics and planning, and the Legion’s role underlined how quickly it had become a significant part of British national life.

1921

CAPTAIN ISHAR SINGH

VC, OBI

awarded 25 November 1921 • Waziristan • 28th Punjabis

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Ishar Singh was the first Sikh to be awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery when the convoy he was protecting was attacked by tribesmen in Waziristan in April 1921.

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Imperial War Museum: HU 088589

A marching column on the Northwest Frontier in the early 1930s, consisting of British infantry and pack-mule transport.

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Imperial War Museum: VC 623

Ishar Singh VC, the first Sikh to be awarded the VC.

Waziristan had been the scene of a revolt against British rule from 1919 to 1920. The rugged frontier territory was a perfect location for ambushes, and the region has been a source of conflict for the British, Indian and now Pakistani Armies from the First Anglo-Afghan War through to the present day.

While British and Indian forces had been preoccupied by the First World War, the Waziris had launched a series of raids against British positions and supply columns, and this intensified in the wake of the Third Anglo-Afghan War of 1919 into a large-scale revolt. Although this rebellion had been largely put down by the end of 1920, there were still a number of raids throughout 1921 and it was in one of these that Sepoy Ishar Singh was awarded his VC.

Entering the Indian Army in 1913, Ishar Singh had served throughout the First World War in Ceylon, Mesopotamia, Palestine and Egypt, before his regiment was posted to Waziristan in 1919 to help put down the revolt.

On 10 April 1921 he was part of the escort for a camel convoy when rebellious tribesmen ambushed the column in a narrow gorge. Ishar Singh was the Number 1 of a Lewis gun section and in the immediate aftermath of the attack he was seriously wounded in the chest and lost hold of his Lewis gun. The initial assault had killed all the officers of his company and, realising the seriousness of the situation, he immediately counter-attacked, along with two colleagues, and succeeded in wresting back his weapon, which he then manned until reinforcements arrived. Despite being ordered to report for medical attention, Ishar Singh helped the medical officer for the next three hours, bringing water for the wounded and protecting the injured and the officer from enemy fire, until he became too weak from loss of blood and finally received medical attention.

Following the award of his medal, Ishar Singh travelled to London in 1929 to attend a dinner for VC recipients. He was later one of Edward VIII’s Indian orderly officers in 1936. He died on 2 December 1963.

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Imperial War Museum: FIR 009220

The Lewis gun was the standard light machine gun used by the British and Indian Armies throughout the First World War and during the interwar years. Although formally replaced in 1938, it continued to see limited service in the Second World War. The brainchild of US Army officer Colonel Isaac Newton Lewis, its portability, high rate of fire and versatility made it one of the outstanding machine guns of the First World War.

1922

DAVID LLOYD GEORGE, FIRST EARL LLOYD GEORGE OF DWYFOR

OM

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David Lloyd George was a social reformer and British Prime Minister who led Britain to victory over Germany and her allies, despite ruling over a coalition government and having very difficult relations with military leaders.

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Imperial War Museum: EPH 9356

David Lloyd George carrying the pole of ‘patriotism’ while balancing on the political tightrope. This wooden caricature figure was made at the Lord Roberts Memorial Workshops for Disabled Soldiers and Sailors in Fulham, London, during the First World War, and was subsequently sold for charity.

In December 1916, while Britain was in the throes of the First World War, Prime Minister Herbert Asquith was forced out of office and his place was taken by David Lloyd George, the son of a Welsh schoolmaster. The war was not going well and Lloyd George had a seemingly impossible job ahead of him.

One of the first things that he did was to create a small, five-man War Cabinet responsible for making the essential decisions about the running of the war. This new Cabinet was intended to end the drawn-out discussions of the previous cabinet, which had often resulted in indecision, hampering the war effort. The War Cabinet was considered to be a great success. It met every day during the war and was responsible for all major military, diplomatic and economic decisions. An Imperial War Cabinet was also created, which included representatives from around the Empire.

Lloyd George was not on the best of terms with military leaders and he constantly tried to reduce their power. However, the endless clashes between government and military simply resulted in more difficulties when trying to plan a successful wartime strategy. One of his most tragic failures was his inability to stop the Passchendaele offensive in the summer of 1917. Despite arguing against it, he was outvoted and it went ahead, resulting in the loss of as many as a quarter of a million British soldiers by its end in November of that year. However, he did succeed in creating the Supreme War Council at Versailles, which was used to coordinate allied military strategy. His main aim had been to reduce the authority of William Robertson, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, and Douglas Haig, the Commander-in-Chief of the army. In this, he was to some extent successful, as Robertson resigned.

Lloyd George did have one resounding military success during the course of the war. As the loss of shipping to U-boat attacks grew, he insisted on the adoption of a convoy system by the navy. By the end of 1917, the system had been implemented and was considered a success, with losses being significantly reduced.

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US Library of Congress: LC-USZ62-8054

David Lloyd George in 1919, following the end of the First World War.

Lloyd George went on to lead