Dramatic drop in numbers sees legion branch close

The Leegomery and Hadley Royal group struggled for months without a secretary and treasurer but eventually had to close.

The legion was first set up 35 years ago but saw its number drop from 120 members down to less than 40.

Its president, David Moore, said the legion's standard would be draped in Holy Trinity Church in Hadley to officially mark the group's closure.

He said: "We have notified the headquarters in London, which understands we simply cannot cope anymore.

"We simply could not carry on without a secretary and treasurer because without those we were lost, really.

"We came to the sad conclusion we must close the branch.

"Some members have gone to branches in Wellington and Oakengates while others, like myself, have remained members of the legion but have not joined a new club."

Mr Moore served with the Royal Army Services Corp, now known as the Royal Logistics Corp.

He worked his way up while serving from a private to the rank of major over 25 years before joining the Sultan of Oman Army for five years, where he became captain of the training regiment.

Mr Moore was just leaving the army when he joined the legion in 1981, going on to serve as president for 15 years.

He said it was important the branch was remembered once it had closed its doors.

"I held a meeting with Alastair Wood, vicar at Holy Trinity, about hanging the standard in the church," he said

"He agreed and a service will be held to officially hand it over.

"I was just coming out of the Armed Forces when I joined the legion and we had about 120 members at the time," he said.

"By the end we only had 18 turning up for most meetings out of the 40 remaining due to age and ill health."

The service will take place in Holy Trinity Church on June 21, from 11am.