Warmington has had a very active branch of the Royal British Legion since 1935 prior to that date it was a sub committee of the Polebrook branch, it had also at it’s inauguration a Tansor section.
The first chairman of the branch held the post of headmaster of Warmington School Mr. B Wyke and it is noted on a circular from Northamptonshire British Legion the Headquarters for Warmington British Legion was listed as the Angell Inn, Warmington opposite the church.
Today the branch has seventeen members mainly ex servicemen or women and others who give of their time many representing relatives who have served in the forces.
We oversee the welfare of our members whose health is failing or fall on hard times.
The Legion’s most noticeable event being the memorial service on the nearest Sunday to Armistice day attending a service in our church and recognition of our war dead at the memorial covering both World Wars. At this event we also visit the war memorial at Tansor Church followed by a visit to the memorial for United States servicemen at Polebrook airfield often accompanied by current servicemen from the United States forces. The event culminates at the Social Club with a buffet.
The Legion has a Standard in Warmington Church by the list of all those servicemen who served in the two world wars.
Our present standard is a gift from a village family and is displayed by a member of that family at many events of the Legion.
The Poppy appeal is of course our main event of the year which is to raise funds for the Legion to carry out it’s work of caring for those who have been less fortunate in life this is accompanied with a coffee morning, and various other events.
The Legion was involved in the initiative to have a flag pole within the village on which is displayed various national flags on their designated days. Such is the view of the efforts of the Legion this flagpole was funded entirely by voluntary donations of the residents of Warmington.
The ideals of the Royal British Legion are maintained as they were on it’s formation, however numbers have dwindled as one would expect, the armed forces are not so numerous and whilst still fighting very determined enemies on behalf of us all we are not witness to the death tolls of the world wars. There will always be a demand for the Legion’s services and therefore appeal to all who feel they can help to ease the way forward to become members of the Legion.
We meet approximately four times per year and our committee is as follows.:
- President: Vic Cooper. 01832 280732
- Chairman: Vic Cooper 01832 280732
- Vice Chairman: Ken Hodges 01832 280764
- Secretary: Derek Rowell 01832 280473
- Treasurer: Colin Gilder
- Standard Bearer: Richard Gilder.
- Members; Mrs Mary Hodges, Mr John Owen, Mr Eric Heath, Mrs Morag Wilson, Mr David Fisher, Mrs Glynnis Hostead, Mr Bill Wilson, Mr Robert Bosworth. Mr RE Enfield.
All enquiries can be addressed to any member.