Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance

The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne Kings Domain.
The shrine was built in Remembrance of those who served and those who died in the great war of 1914/18 and other conflicts and peace keeping duties since.
The Chairman and his wife were in Melbourne for Australia Day, 26th January, and were able to visit the Shrine for the 21 gun salute and flypast ceremony.

Monumental Walk

Matt Hollox is walking around the UK pushing a very large fridge. He aims to raise £3 million for service charities, with the majority being donated to the National Memorial Arboretum -home to The Armed Forces Memorial.
He arrived in Lyme Regis on 13th March where he was welcomed by members of the Branch. He had an overnight stay at the Nag's Head for a well deserved rest before setting off for Honiton.

Visit to Westminster Abbey 11th November 2009. A Service to Mark The Passing of The World War One Generation

On Wednesday 11th November 2009 my wife and I accepted an invitation to a service to mark the passing of the World War One Generation It was a most wonderful occasion to be invited to.

Those invited had to have a relation who had served in the first world war. My father served in that war and was at one of the first battles to take place at Nery in November 1914 and then Ypres and after all that survived the war.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were also there .

We Will Remember Them...

It is with great sadness that I inform you that Michael Emmett has passed away. He was for many years the Standard Bearer of our branch and he did so with honour and bearing attached to the position. He will be sadly missed by all.

The funeral service will take place at St Michael’s Parish Church at 2 pm on Tuesday 18th August 2009.
Family flowers only but donations can be made to The Firefighters Charity or the Calbury Unit at Weymouth Hospital.

Last Tommy Dies Aged 111

The last British Survivor of the trenches, Harry Patch, died at his care home in Somerset on Saturday morning. Harry's death comes just one week after the death of Henry Allingham and marks the end of an era in British history.

Only one other British survivor of World War I remains and that is Claude Choules who served in the Royal Navy and now lives in Australia.

Henry Allingham Crosses the Bar

Henry Allingham, the worlds oldest man and only one of two British survivors from World War One, died this morning at 03:10 hrs at St Dunstans care Home in Ovingdean.

In an interview with the Daily Mirror in 2006 , Henry was quoted as saying ...

"Whenever I saw people wearing poppies, it reminded me of my time in France when death and the fear of death was as near to me as the poppies growing in the fields.
Age has made my eyesight fail and I can no longer see the symbolic red flowers. But when someone near tells me they're wearing a poppy, I always ask if I can feel them. It's comforting to know that people are still paying their respects.
And that is all a poppy represents - respect. All this talk of wearing white poppies, red poppies and no poppy at all is getting away from the point. Pinning a poppy to your chest is a sign that you are remembering all those men who didn't want war, but volunteered anyway and had no idea of the horror and brutality they would face."

Henry, you will be sadly missed and although you wished for people to forget you I hope you will forgive us in paying tribute to you. You faced the same horrors as those who did not make it back and you kept their memory alive for future generations.

In remembering them...

We will Remember You.

Kitson & Trotman Support Armed Forces Day

Solicitors Kitman & Trotman are showing their support for Armed Forces Day by flying the new flag from their office in Lyme Regis. The flag was raised at 10:30 on 22nd June by Royal Marine Cadet Adam Figgins whose mother Sharon is a member of staff at the Lyme Regis Office. Adam is hoping to join the Armed Forces in September. Members of the Lyme Regis Branch of the Royal British Legion were also in attendance for the raising of the Armed Forces Day Flag.

The first UK Armed Forces Day will be taking place on Saturday 27 June 2009. It is an annual day to celebrate the work of the Armed Forces community.

Armed Forces Day is an opportunity for the nation to show its support for our Service men and women, whether veteran or still serving. It’s an opportunity to honour and celebrate the work they do in support of our country

Photograph courtesy of View From Publishing Ltd