The British Legion was formed on 15th May 1921 from the Comrades of the Great War, the National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers and the National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers and the Officers' Association. Field Marshal The 1st Earl Haig (1861–1928), British commander at the Battle of the Somme and Passchendaele, was one of the founders of the Legion and served as the President of the British Legion until his death. The Chipping Norton branch of the British Legion was formed on 17th October 1924 at a public meeting in the town hall.
We marked the Centenary with a wreath laying ceremony at the War Memorial at 0900, the time at which 100 years ago, representatives from the above organisations laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in London to mark the birth of the British Legion. On Saturday 22nd May, we were able to hold a public service at the War Memorial after the easing of COVID 19 restrictions. We also unveiled four new plaques placed on the bollards that guard the memorial and have been refurbished by the Town Council. Our guests were Marjorie Glasgow, Deputy Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, who laid a wreath, MP Robert Courts, Georgia Mazower, Mayor of Chipping Norton and members of the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars association. Prayers and blessings were said by James Kennedy and Father Tony and the Chairman of the Chipping Norton Branch told the stories of some of the founding members of the branch.
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