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Leon Lock
CHAIRMAN What is your role? I’m chairman of the branch. It’s a full-on job and involves a lot of paperwork. The club conforms to the royal
charter of the Royal British Legion and The Queen is patron. And because we’re a charity we’re also governed by the Charities Commission. I have a full branch team of 10 on the committee who help me enormously and we meet once a month to keep the club running smoothly. Our ultimate role is to support people injured through war – to physically and mentally put them back together again.
How long have you stood as chairman? This will be my fourth year. I shall stay on as chairman until November 2020 and then handover, but will always remain a member of the club.
When did you join Kingsbridge RBL? I’ve been a member for 15 years. I was asked to join the branch and came into the club socially. Then I was asked to be an officer, signed up and was elected as chairman.
How does the Poppy Appeal work? Colin Davies does a wonderful job running the Poppy Appeal for Kingsbridge RBL. We have a fantastic team of 20 to 30 poppy sellers, who operate on two-hour shifts across the town and in both supermarkets for the two weeks running up to Remembrance Day, on November 11. We also run other fundraisers throughout the year for the Poppy Appeal, including coffee mornings and markets.
Are you connected to the armed forces? You don’t have to be connected to the armed forces to be a member of the Royal British Legion. My uncle and cousin were Royal Marines. I wanted to join the Royal Navy when I
was 15 but my parents wouldn’t sign the papers, as they didn’t want me to go to war. Two of my friends joined and I always regretted not going, but I understand my parents’ concerns at the time after dealing a lot with World War I history. It was pure carnage and murder, barbaric times – thank God those days have gone.
What is the significance of the Royal British Legion? We’re not just about poppies and Remembrance Day. We commemorate all the other lesser- known dates too, including recently the Battle of Arnhem’s Operation Market Garden. We lay a lot of wreaths to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. I think the British Legion really came to the fore last year with the huge World War I centenary events. As chairman of Kingsbridge RBL I went to France to carry the standard at the GP90, with 1,100 other standard carriers and wreath layers, at Ypres in Belgium. We must never forget such
conflicts where people came back traumatised. The British Legion continues to get out there and be seen, with a very visible presence supporting service and ex service personnel.
What’s been your most memorable moment with the RBL? The GP90 is at the top of my list, especially visiting the World War I graves at Passchendaele. Every school child should go there. It was the 90th anniversary of the pilgrimage to the war graves. At Tyne Cot cemetery you go in and come out a different person. It makes the hairs on the back of my head stand up just thinking about it. During the service we went
through the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing and I cracked. The breeze picked up the poppies and they fell on our heads. I bent down to pick some of them up to keep and
remember. I hope that over my four years as
chairman I’ve represented the Royal British Legion with a lot of respect and dedication. Whatever I do, in some tiny way I’m supporting those people and their families through our welfare. We’ll never ever forget them as long as I am here.
What is the future of the Kingsbridge Royal British Legion? Kingsbridge people are very supportive of the RBL and we’re lucky to have this purpose built building. We went through a difficult patch but are stronger now and very stable financially. We’re very lucky to have Val as chairperson of the Mill Club because, through her, this place has been turned around. She’s so very dedicated and hard working and thoroughly deserves all the applause she gets. Many thanks also to Carole, secretary of our branch, for all her hard work and commitment.
Do you have any hobbies outside of the RBL? I love music and used to play trombone in a brass band. I play guitar too. I also enjoy motorcycling and researching the history of World War I.
Do you have a favourite spot in Kingsbridge? My partner Carole and I walk everyday along the estuary. It’s beautiful down there, we’re so lucky to live here.
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