Local legion must support Remembrance

Sir, – I would like to say I agree and support the comments of Davie Paton, chairman of Carnoustie branch and vice-chairman of the Royal British Legion Scotland (Change needed if legion is to live on, chief insists, Courier, December 17) .

More does need to be done to embrace change, however it must be constructive and beneficial.

It is not going to be an easy task to convince everyone.

For many years now the RBLS (Legion Scotland) has been expertly guided by past and current CEOS, including past national chairman Mr C Brown MBE and the current national chairman Mr M Hawthorn, and the entire national board of trustees and has dragged herself from the lower echelons to a highly respected veterans and services advocate.

But, regrettably, one major point has not been mentioned.

And that is the first point of the RBLS – before clubs, branches or drinking dens – that being the custodians to the Act of Remembrance.

Events of Remembrance are carried out across the UK, but here in Scotland we have no such event.

It is left to local areas to organise their own.

Here in Dundee we have probably the largest supported event in Scotland and yet the attendance of members in supporting this very prestigious event is very poor.

This is the fundamental reason for our existence.

I would say to the members of this area, if they were to show support I am more than sure the knock-on effects could prove to be beneficial to the clubs and branches, simply by getting back to the grass roots purpose for which the RBLS and legion exists.

If a branch can travel from the borders (Dalbeattie) to support us then those on our doorstep should be looking at themselves.

We were created not just as a social entity but as a body which holds the responsibility to ensure the Act of Remembrance for those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice not just in WW1, WW2 or Korea but in every conflict and war where we have had our troops killed and maimed both mentally and physically.

Remember those words we recite so regularly. But do we pay attention to why we say them?

“At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.”

The 2020 Festival of Remembrance will be held in the Caird Hall on October 31 2020. Alastair W Mclean. Convener, Angus Perthshire and Fife Area.

Royal British Legion Scotland Festival of Remembrance, 43 Strathmore Street, Broughty Ferry.