9th-12th-Lancers - Year 1986 - Page 0072
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 1986 |
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THF 9TH/l2TH ROYAL LANCERS REGIMENTAL JOURNAL The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal There is a famous poem, written in 1914 by Colonel John McRae, a Can- adian Medical Officer, crouching in a trench during a lull in the Second battle of Ypres, which begins "In Flanders‘ fields the poppies grow, between the crosses. row on row..." Today, more than seventy years later, there is hardly a man. woman or child in this country who does not wear a poppy in November at Remembrance Time. It is a symbol of Remembrance, Peace and Caring, epitomizing as it does, the work of The Royal British Legion, which is financed mainly by the proceeds of the Poppy Appeal. But what does that poppy mean today to the majority of people? An emblem to commemorate “our glorious dead“ of two world wars'l An emblem made by disabled ex-Servicemen to help keep them going? A glorification of war? Or what? Different people would undoubtedly give different answers. For it is now more than forty years since the end of the Second World War and those who remember it are in a diminishing min- ority. In fact. anybody who served throughout that war is today over sixty years of age. Others may have heard of it from relatives. know something of it through National Service, or the viewing of the occasional screening of a war film on television. The fact is that far from glorifying war, the Royal British Legion is working for peace and remembering the dead is the best way possible — not only by caring for those who survived and need help, but also their dependents and war widows. Moreover, although it is over forty years since the end of the Second World War, there have in fact been more than seventy so-called ‘peacetime‘ conflicts since then, including the Falklands and today’s continuing tragedy in Northern Ireland. Thus, with the passing years, far from diminishing, the demands on the servives of The Royal British Legion are forever increasing. 70 What then constitutes The Royal British Legion, Britain's premier ex- Service organisation, which was foun- ded more than sixty years ago by Earl Haig to help the Victims and their de- pendants of the Great War? This vast nationwide movement, with some 880,000 members in more than 3,400 branches and with over 1,000 clubs, it not only assisted on a voluntary basis by people from all walks of life, but is also supported by virtually every citizen of our great nation. They know the debt that we owe to those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom, as well as to their dependants and those returned injured in mind or body, Disabled ex-Service men and women are gainfully employed by The Royal British Legion — a prime example of this is to be found at the Royal British Legion Village, near Maidstone in Kent, where many run modern printing presses, make timber pallets and produce road signs. Here too, is "The Churchill Centre" a purposebuilt re- habilitation and assessment centre which was opened in 1982,m the Diamond Jubilee year of the Legion. Further employment opportunities are provided by the Legion‘s Attendants' Company. which, as the second largest car~parking and security organisation in the United Kingdom, employs more than 700 ex-Service men and women, over a quarter of whom are disabled. Here, they have managed to pioneer remarkable new methods of maximum security lorry parking and are regarded as acknowledged experts in the latest methods of electronic surveillance systems. Looking for work may not always be easy, but finding a home can be even more daunting. in this instance too, the Legion has triumphed. For the very elderly and infirm who are unable to care for themselves, there is a welcome at any one of the Legion‘s five Country Homes. For those recovering from il- lness, rest and relaxation can be found at the Legion’s three Convalescent Homes. In addition, more than 11,000 homes for elderly and disabled people have been built by the Legion’s auton- omous Housing Association since its inception 20 years ago. Of these, a great number have been awarded prizes for excellence of design. Such homes conA tinue to be built today and more will follow as and when funds become avail» able. This diverse range of welfare and benevolent services owes it success. almost entirely, to the results of the an- nual Poppy Appeal. Last year, more than £7 million was raised, thanks to the never—failing generosity of the British public. Sadly, though, the number of cases handled by the Legion is steadily increasing. More and more ex-Service men and women, as well as their de< pendants, are turning to them for help. Well over 50,000 cases were handled in 1985 — and the figure is rising. Major refurbishment of their Country Homes at an estimated cost of £6V2rn is urgently required if the high standards of medi- cal and nursing care are to be main- tained. It is, therefore, vital that the 1986 Poppy Appeal meets with greater success than ever before. Volunteers are urged to contact the Poppy Organisation in their area simply by dialling 100 and asking for ‘Freephone Poppy Appeal’. Their message will be passed to their local Poppy Organiser, Let us make sure that the Legion gets all the help it needs to help those who helped us retain our very special way of life. |
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