MEMBERS of Barnsley’s Royal British Legion held a quiet celebration to mark the organisation’s 100th birthday.
The RBL was formed on May 15, 1921, and brought together four national organisations of former servicemen that had been established after the First World War.
Since then, the legion has organised the national Poppy Appeal each year, which helps raise money for veterans.
A handful of members from the Barnsley branch of the charity came together to commemorate the occasion, which they held at the war memorial outside the town hall last Saturday.
“We did have plans for a bigger service, but with the pandemic, we decided to keep it very low scale to minimise the risk of spreading the virus,” said RBL Poppy Appeal organiser for Barnsley, Veronica Hanson.
“We laid wreaths and did and read the Kohima epitaph poem in remembrance of the fallen soldiers past and present.
“I would also like to thank the people of Barnsley for their generosity during November’s Poppy Appeal. It has been a very difficult year, but despite this it raised £31,169.”
