Loughton Royal British Legion
The Website of the Loughton Branch RBL
OBITUARIES
Obituaries
To those who have gone
A Lament to Old Comrades
A Lament to Old Comrades
LEGION & ESSEX REGT
History of Loughton Branch
The Branch was originally founded in 1920/21 at the same time that the British Legion was formed, but the branch closed in about 1923, the reasons as yet are unknown.
The Branch as we know it was re-opened on 8th May 1946 (the 1st Anniversary of VE Day)
The Branch originally met at Loughton Club, Station Road before buying the present site in 1951.
The first President at that time was Colonel Noble of the Essex Regiment
The Chairman was Lt. Col. L.W.A. Chappell also of the Essex regiment
Both of these men were well known figures in Loughton and also amongst ex-servicemen who had served in the Essex Regiment
The Vice-Chairman later Vice-President was one Commander Herring, who it seems may have had a bit of a chequered past which I am hoping to be able to confirm at a later date
The Branch was originally founded in 1920/21 at the same time that the British Legion was formed, but the branch closed in about 1923, the reasons as yet are unknown.
The Branch as we know it was re-opened on 8th May 1946 (the 1st Anniversary of VE Day)
The Branch originally met at Loughton Club, Station Road before buying the present site in 1951.
The first President at that time was Colonel Noble of the Essex Regiment
The Chairman was Lt. Col. L.W.A. Chappell also of the Essex regiment
Both of these men were well known figures in Loughton and also amongst ex-servicemen who had served in the Essex Regiment
The Vice-Chairman later Vice-President was one Commander Herring, who it seems may have had a bit of a chequered past which I am hoping to be able to confirm at a later date
1/4th Battalion The Essex Regiment at Monte Cassino 1944
Lt.Col Noble, North Africa July 1942
outside Battalion H.Q.
Point 62 Ruweisat Ridge
The Insignia of the 4th Indian Division
To which
1/4th Battalion, The Essex Regiment
were attached
Shot at Dawn
Shot Unjustly, Unlawfully
Nearly 350 British & Commonwealth soldiers were executed by firing squad during the 1st WW. Only 3 Officers suffered a similar fate, one of which was for murder. Of the 2 who were tried for desertion, the case of Edwin Dyett, in particular, cries out for justice. Expressions of disquiet by rank-&-file soldiers, who wondered why cowardice and desertion were confined to the lower ranks, may have unwittingly prompted the top brass to look for a scapegoat amongst their own. Was Dyett unlucky enough to have been a navel, rather than an army officer.
In October 1916, in the aftermath of the disastrous Somme offensive (60,000 men killed, wounded or missing in one day), Haig ordered that more officers be shot for cowardice, rather than be sent home for rest and recuperation within the cozy bosom of their family. This evidence, only recently discovered, demonstrates his misguided preoccupation with extreme measure to suppress fear and [panic among the officer class. His sentiments quickly became dramatic reality with the imminent executions of Second-Lieutenant Eric Skeffington Poole and Sub-Lieutenant Dyett. Quite remarkably, thereafter and for the rest of the war, Haig's orders appeared to have been totally ignored. For the rank-&-file , however, their precarious situation remained unabated.
The son of a Merchant Navy Captain, Edwin Leopold Arthur Dyett was born on 7th October 1895. The family lived at Albany Road, Roath, Cardiff. After enlisting in the Royal Navy Voluntary Reserve, he was commissioned on 24th June 1915. Within eighteen months, he faced the ignominy of a Court Martial and execution.
Twenty-one years of age, he was totally inexperienced in combat and even confessed his uncertainty of l
Shot Unjustly, Unlawfully
Nearly 350 British & Commonwealth soldiers were executed by firing squad during the 1st WW. Only 3 Officers suffered a similar fate, one of which was for murder. Of the 2 who were tried for desertion, the case of Edwin Dyett, in particular, cries out for justice. Expressions of disquiet by rank-&-file soldiers, who wondered why cowardice and desertion were confined to the lower ranks, may have unwittingly prompted the top brass to look for a scapegoat amongst their own. Was Dyett unlucky enough to have been a navel, rather than an army officer.
In October 1916, in the aftermath of the disastrous Somme offensive (60,000 men killed, wounded or missing in one day), Haig ordered that more officers be shot for cowardice, rather than be sent home for rest and recuperation within the cozy bosom of their family. This evidence, only recently discovered, demonstrates his misguided preoccupation with extreme measure to suppress fear and [panic among the officer class. His sentiments quickly became dramatic reality with the imminent executions of Second-Lieutenant Eric Skeffington Poole and Sub-Lieutenant Dyett. Quite remarkably, thereafter and for the rest of the war, Haig's orders appeared to have been totally ignored. For the rank-&-file , however, their precarious situation remained unabated.
The son of a Merchant Navy Captain, Edwin Leopold Arthur Dyett was born on 7th October 1895. The family lived at Albany Road, Roath, Cardiff. After enlisting in the Royal Navy Voluntary Reserve, he was commissioned on 24th June 1915. Within eighteen months, he faced the ignominy of a Court Martial and execution.
Twenty-one years of age, he was totally inexperienced in combat and even confessed his uncertainty of l
Legion Standards
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep
Though poppies grow in
Flanders Fields
Colonel John McCray
Legion Standards
A History
The Legion Standard's first public appearance was in June 1922
at the Crystal Palace Sports Day.
___
The National Standard, consisting of a gold band on a blue field, with a Union flag in one corner, was designed by the then General Secretary Colonel Heath
___
It was first paraded as the National Standard at the Annual Conference Cenotaph service in 1924, on Whit Sunday
___
The first recorded branch to receive a Standard was
Wadhurst & Tidebrook
___
By the end of 1928, one in every three Legion branches had their own Standards
___
The first National Standard Bearer competition was held in 1952, and was won by the Standard Bearer for Ashton-in-Markfield
___
Also in 1952, the Standard Bearer's uniform headwear was changed to a black beret.
Before, Standard Bearers had been required to wear a bowler hat, which made lowering the Standard very complicated
___
A History
The Legion Standard's first public appearance was in June 1922
at the Crystal Palace Sports Day.
___
The National Standard, consisting of a gold band on a blue field, with a Union flag in one corner, was designed by the then General Secretary Colonel Heath
___
It was first paraded as the National Standard at the Annual Conference Cenotaph service in 1924, on Whit Sunday
___
The first recorded branch to receive a Standard was
Wadhurst & Tidebrook
___
By the end of 1928, one in every three Legion branches had their own Standards
___
The first National Standard Bearer competition was held in 1952, and was won by the Standard Bearer for Ashton-in-Markfield
___
Also in 1952, the Standard Bearer's uniform headwear was changed to a black beret.
Before, Standard Bearers had been required to wear a bowler hat, which made lowering the Standard very complicated
___
Minutes Books
Minutes Books
Minutes books from 1949 to almost the present have been retrieved , they are at this time being copied and anyone wishing to read them please contact the Hon. Secretary or the
Hon. Treasurer, or e mail me at LoughtonRBL@yahoo.co.uk
They are a full and concise history and give an insight into the developement of the Branch from that time, including the purchase of our present HQ Building.
It is hoped that a museum such as the Epping Forest Museum or the like may be interested in receiving them once they have been copied so that they would be cared for and also accesible to a great many people.
Hon. Treasurer, or e mail me at LoughtonRBL@yahoo.co.uk
They are a full and concise history and give an insight into the developement of the Branch from that time, including the purchase of our present HQ Building.
It is hoped that a museum such as the Epping Forest Museum or the like may be interested in receiving them once they have been copied so that they would be cared for and also accesible to a great many people.
The RBL History
The British Legion was formed in 1921 by bringing together a number of existing organisations of ex-Service men which had come into being as a result of the Great War.The constitiution of the Legion was agreed at a conference held that year and the Legion thus became a national non-party and non-sectarian organisation of ex-Service people throughout the country. The Legion was granted a Royal Charter by King George V and the prefix 'Royal' was conferred in 1971 as it celebrated its Golden Jubilee.
Today the RBL has many thousands of members and in the region of 3,500 branches throughout the United Kingdom and also many others throughout the world. It is through the branches that its money is raised both with local events and also with the National Poppy Appeal. The branches are usually the first point of contact for ex-Service men or women or their dependants seeking help and assistance in time of need.
The Royal British Legion provides help and assistance, both financial and supportive, for ex--service men & womenand their dependants irrespective of whether they are Legion members or not. It maintains residential homes with permanent accomodation and rest and convalescent homes, as well as providing purpose-built housing for the elderly. The Legion provides training, rehabilitation and employment for the disabled and maintains close links with similar organisations overseas.
The British Legion was formed in 1921 by bringing together a number of existing organisations of ex-Service men which had come into being as a result of the Great War.The constitiution of the Legion was agreed at a conference held that year and the Legion thus became a national non-party and non-sectarian organisation of ex-Service people throughout the country. The Legion was granted a Royal Charter by King George V and the prefix 'Royal' was conferred in 1971 as it celebrated its Golden Jubilee.
Today the RBL has many thousands of members and in the region of 3,500 branches throughout the United Kingdom and also many others throughout the world. It is through the branches that its money is raised both with local events and also with the National Poppy Appeal. The branches are usually the first point of contact for ex-Service men or women or their dependants seeking help and assistance in time of need.
The Royal British Legion provides help and assistance, both financial and supportive, for ex--service men & womenand their dependants irrespective of whether they are Legion members or not. It maintains residential homes with permanent accomodation and rest and convalescent homes, as well as providing purpose-built housing for the elderly. The Legion provides training, rehabilitation and employment for the disabled and maintains close links with similar organisations overseas.
bravenet.com