THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION RHEINDAHLEN BRANCH 25TH YEAR CELEBRATION
In 1992, the Rheindahlen Branch was officially formed.
On 5 November 2017 the Branch celebrated it's 25th anniversary with a Church Service to re-dedicate the Branch Standard. It turned out to be a very harmonious event that afternoon in the Chapel and Church Hall of the St Barbara Church in Moenchengladbach. The Church Service started at precisely 2.00pm with a short address by our Branch President Col (Ret'd) Steven Owen informing us of the reason we were gathered together. Around 40 members had come to celebrate this event.
Father James Crofts led us through the service. The organist accompanied us as we heartily sang the selected, stirring hymns. In his service, Father Crofts praised the honour, steadfastness and loyalty of many veterans, past and present, who had previously given their all or were today contributing charitably to the well being of the current veterans and their dependants where needed.
The Branch Standard was presented by Tony Brown, our Standard Bearer, for re-dedication which duly took place. Tony was accompanied by the Standards of the Lippe and Hereford Branches by their Bearers, Jake Porter and Helen Hefferman. The Service ended with the Deutschlandlied and the National Anthem.
This was a very touching service and was filmed by BFBS Television for later transmission. After the Service the congregation spent a very pleasant Sunday afternoon in the Church Hall with coffee and cakes, all contributed by members. Col (Retd) Owen gave a short history of the Branch's progress through the years and then raised a toast to the Branch. Following a very nice afternoon of discussions, coffee and refreshments, the visitors took their leave, but not before thanks were given to Father Crofts and his assistant Marc Jankowski, as well as the Franciscan Prior, for permitting the service and use of the premises and to the Sub-Committee for the organisation of the event.
Prepared and submitted by Mr Dick Simmons, ex-Branch Membership Secretary.
THE VETERAN - Dedicated to all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of their country with love and great respect from a grateful nation - Rob Wharton, 2014.
On the eleventh day of the eleventh month at eleven a.m. precise,
He goes to church to pray to those who paid the final price.
His medals gleam, his shoes shine too as he bows his head to pray,
To remember those who've fallen and given everything away.
His mates have gone and others too, some he did not even know.
The guys who fell and would not see their tiny children grow.
The father's brothers, cousins, sons, all lost before his eyes,
return in dreams or other times and leave him asking why.
He sees the ensigns and the flags, flowers decked in black and red,
The poppy worn by everyone to remember Nations dead.
The music plays, tears fill his eyes, a tightening of his chest,
the Last Post sounds in tribute to all those who gave their best.
With head bowed low, eyes firmly shut, he focuses his mind,
and asks his God to care for those he had to leave behind.
Soldiers, sailors, Airmen too, he thinks of those who fell
Who gave their lives so we may live without this fear of hell.
His duty done he goes back home, another year gone by,
He pours a single malt, and lifts his eyes up to the sky,
He lifts his glass, and pays a toast, "To many absent friends"
Even though he knows deep down this cannot make amends.
He thinks of all the bravest, and remembers all the dead,
The tears flow freely down his face, as he sadly shakes his head.
The cold November wind may blow the Poppies on their stem,
At break of dawn, again at dusk, "We will remember them".
Permission granted by Mr Wharton to publish this poem, with grateful thanks.
