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Highlight of the
afternoon was Maybole branch of the Royal British Legion
in a unique ceremony to Troop their Colours. Maybole
Pipe Band led the colours into the arena and the legion
members were inspected by Major George Hay, Depute Lord
Lieutenant. Dunaskin Doon Band played a selection of
music during the ceremony.
Rev Dave Whiteman recounted the history
of the formation of the British Legion in 1921. He said,
“On 18th June 1921 a Unity Conference was held by Field
Marshal Lord Haig in Edinburgh's Usher Hall at which
over one hundred ex-service associations met and agreed
to come together under the title The British Legion.
These associations then had to go back to their members
to get their agreement.
“Immediately
after
that meeting in Edinburgh
Field
Marshal
Lord Haig
was
at Culzean Castle
on a
visit to the Lord Lieutenant
of Ayrshire, The
Marquess of
Ailsa and
from
that visit
a
communication
was sent
to Mr Hugh Fairlie,
Provost
of
Maybole who in
turn
instructed Mr John W Best
MM, who
was the only remaining member
of
the Soldiers
and Sailors
Society
left
in
Maybole,
to
arrange a public meeting in Maybole
Coffee House on 28th
June 1921.
“That meeting
was
chaired by
Captain A
Ramsay MC
and a Maybole Branch was
formed
under
the title British
Legion and
became the
first
Branch to be
formed in
the
United Kingdom. “Two
months later in
August the title became
The British Legion
(Scotland) when
Earl Haig formed a British Legion
in London.
“In
1971 during Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee the Royal title
was added and it became The Royal British Legion
Scotland. “On 30th June 1996 the first Branch Standard
held by Maybole Branch
was
laid up for safekeeping at Culzean Castle and is
retained in the main entrance to the Armoury. “The
two Standards you see on parade today are that first
Standard and the current Branch Standard which
was dedicated during an Area event on Low Green, Ayr, on
29th June 1997.
“We
are proud to have the opportunity to Troop our Colours
here today in this unique ceremony and that Maybole is
the
oldest Branch of The Royal British Legion in the UK.”
The branch were celebrating four events in one -
H M The Queen's 80th birthday, National Veteran's Day,
the 85th Anniversary of the Royal British Legion
Scotland, and their own 85th Anniversary.
The
ceremony of Trooping the Colour dates back to the 17th
century when the Colours of a Regiment were used as a
rallying point in battle and were therefore “Trooped”
every day to ensure that every man could recognise those
of his own Regiment.
British troops last carried Colours into action in 1881,
125 years ago, during the First Boer War and since then
the custom of Trooping has been retained as a symbolic
occasion for The Colours which embodies a unit’s
prestige and esprit de corps. Since 1805 The Household
Brigade have Trooped their Colours in honour of the
Sovereign’s Birthday. |
