A Notice in the Midland Mail dated 16th March 1923.
BRITISH
LEGION
A
Meeting of ex-Service Men will be held in the Small Assembly Room Market
Harborough on Tuesday, March 20th, 1923 when an address will be given by Mr
Councilor S A Barber (of Mansfield), Vice Chairman of the East Midlands Area
Council and Member of the National Executive Council of the British Legion.
Chair
will be taken at 8pm
by the Rev H J Eacott, Hon. Chaplain to H M Forces.
The object of the meeting is to form a Branch of the Legion in Market Harborough.
The following week on 23rd March, the same paper reported as follows,
BRITISH
LEGION
Branch
formed at Market Harborough
On
Tuesday evening a meeting was held in the Assembly Rooms at Market Harborough
for the purpose of endeavouring
to form a branch of the British Legion.
The
Rev. H J T Eascott presided. He said he had been looking through some of the
pamphlets issued by Legion and the facts therein simply left one
aghast...............
Councilor
Barber of Mansfield said the Legion had been formed by the amalgamation of four
chief organizations - the Officers Association, the Comrades of the Great War,
the National Federation and the National Association. The Legion was
democratic, non-party politically
and non-sectarian. It was intended to look after ex-service men in every place.
..........They were, said the speaker, far from satisfied with the
administration of war pensions in
this country today, but nothing could ever be done unless they made themselves
into a powerful body. That was one reason why Market Harborough and other bodies
outside should join up. The administration expenses of the Legion were very low.
In conclusion, the speaker said they found amongst members of the Legion that
spirit of comradeship amongst officers and men that existed in the war.
Many
things could be done for ex-service men by a powerful organization which they
could never hope to achieve as individuals.
Captain
Clark .............proposed that they formally establish a branch of the Legion
for Market Harborough. Ex- Sergeant Major Pierce seconded and the
resolution was carried unanimously.
The
first officers of the Branch were elected as follows:-
Chairman,
the Rev H J T Eascott, C.F., Secretary,
Mr Wright, Treasurer, Mr J Goldsbrough; Committee, Major R Tombnson, Captain
Knighton, Captain Steadman, Messrs. Edgehill, G Freeman, Warner and Heggs.
Mr
Barber said the minimum subscription to the Legion was 2s.6d; eighteen pence of
this was remitted to Headquarters and of that eighteen pence, sixpence was
remitted back to regional headquarters.
The
meeting ended with votes of thanks to the speakers and the chairman.
05/0197
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