THE Liskeard Branch of the Royal British Legion has celebrated its centenary as it continues to go from strength to strength.

A special drumhead service was held on The Parade on Sunday to mark the special anniversary.

Founded in 1921, the Legion is not just about those who fought in the two World Wars of the last century, but also about those involved in the many conflicts since 1945 and those still fighting for the freedom we enjoy today. It provides financial, social and emotional care and support to all members of the British Armed Forces - past and present and their families.

The Legion is also the national Custodian of Remembrance and safeguards the Military Covenant between the nation and its Armed Forces and is best known for the annual Poppy Appeal and its emblem, the red poppy.

The Liskeard branch was first established in August-September 1921. At that time 100 years ago, the British Legion was formed by an amalgamation of four existing regional organisations to establish a ‘National Body’.

The ‘Liskerret branch of Comrades of the Great War’ had already come into existence by 1918, although it is not clear precisely when. But, a report on a meeting on March 4, 1921, shows a committee as follows: President Capt C Blamey, Chairman Mr F R Dunford; Secretary Mr L R Godfrey; and Treasurer Mr R Moyle.

Archive pictures (kindly supplied by Christine Henwood of the Liskeard RBL committee) show, on May 25, 1933, the Liskeard RBL branch was well enough established to receive a visit from the then Prince of Wales, Edward, eldest son of King George V. The Prince was accompanied on his visit by T M Stanier, the British Legion President and Duchy of Cornwall Land Agent; Archie Rundle, British Legion Secretary and of the Education Office; and Lyde Caunter, Solicitor.

When the Prince was taken to view the Liskeard RBL branch market garden at Golden Sun, he met town dignitaries including pharmacist W F Young, then Mayor of Liskeard Borough; T M Eastoe, Treasurer; and Stokes Philp, then owner of the Cornish Times. None of those meeting the heir to the throne on that day can have imagined that, three years later, after becoming King Edward VIII in January 1936, the Prince would then abdicate in the following December before being crowned so he could marry US divorcee Wallis Simpson.

In more recent times Liskeard Royal British Legion branch has gone from strength to strength, with poppy appeal collections increasing each year to £30,000 per year and with the town’s Remembrance Parade regularly drawing 500 participants. Landmarks have included the RBL branch taking part in the 2008 County Rally and being the chosen charity of the Boconnoc Steam Fair.

Liskeard RBL branch also took part in the Great Pilgrimage 90 (or GP 90) First World War battlefields tour in 2018, marking 90 years since 10th anniversary commemorations of the conflict ending were held in 1928.

Liskeard British Legion members joined thousands of Armed Forces veterans and supporters from across the UK and worldwide in a pilgrimage of remembrance to some of World War I’s most poignant sites, the Commonwealth War Grave Commission’s Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres. The Liskeard RBL branch also recently made contact with the French Embassy to ensure that a services veteran received honours for valour.

Prior to the 100th commemorative event on Sunday, members of the Liskeard RBL social club had come together at the club venue on Barn Street to enjoy live music and to make a toast to the special anniversary.

Speaking after the Sunday service, Mayor of Liskeard Simon Cassidy said: “I was really proud to attend the drumhead service on The Parade to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the forming of the Liskeard Branch of the Royal British Legion

“We have started the process off now of awarding the Freedom of Liskeard to our local branch of the RBL, in recognition of what is now a century of efforts to support veterans and their families in the town.

“Thank you for working so very hard in supporting our veterans across Liskeard and our surroundings over the last 100 years!”