A Brief History of The Royal British Legion

The Legion was formed in 1921 through the merging of four associations that had been set up after the First World War to support ex-Servicemen.

The National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers, Comrades of the Great War and the National Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers were all established by the end of 1917. They unified to represent and support all ex-Servicemen in May 1921.

The Legion is often wrongly viewed as only working with older veterans, whereas it helps ex-Service people of all ages and their families. Many of those who started its work, and who needed its help, were young men themselves in 1921.

On returning from Service, many were faced with a poor economy, lack of jobs, and also had to cope with trauma and injuries sustained in the conflict. They were a vulnerable group, who, with their families, numbered some 20 million. To support so many would be costly, and immediate action was needed.

Government provision was inadequate, and often denied through poorly-designed criteria for eligibility. The first Poppy Appeal in November 1921 raised much-needed funds, and the Legion started more than 80 years of campaigning on ex-Service issues by pressurising the government into keeping war disability pensions rates at their existing level despite a fall in the cost of living.

Over the next ten to twenty years, many of the older veterans from the World Wars and National Service period will, due to old age and infirmity, require a more costly level of care and support. At the same time, the Legion will be working for those affected by more recent conflicts, and those currently in or joining the Services who will become the veterans of the future.

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