Battle Poppy Appeal

10/06/2026

Did you know…?

There are Royal British Legion clubs all over the country and we love to meet new potential members.

Membership of the Royal British Legion starts from just £22.00 a year

That local branches of the Royal British Legion help to look after veterans who are in need of help such as replacement fridges, cookers or just someone to talk to.

The Royal British Legion clubs and the Poppy Appeal are run separately from each other, everything raised by the Poppy Appeal goes directly to helping serving and ex serving personal NO wages, cars etc

The Poppy Appeal has only an 18-day window to do the majority of its fund raising.

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Fancy meeting up with like minded people? Contact Your nearest branch at Little common.

The Royal British Legion is a UK charity providing help and welfare to the serving and ex-Service community and their families. It is also one of the country's largest membership organisations and best-known as the nation's custodian of Remembrance and for the annual Poppy Appeal.

07/06/2026

We had the honour of visiting the RBL Beer (Devon) war memorial to the two airmen who crashed and perished on the 12th of April 1942.

It's a small but well-tended garden, worth a visit, and a reminder of these two brave airmen who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

06/06/2026

Today is 6 June 2026, which is D-Day — the anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy, France, on 6 June 1944 during the Second World War.

This year marks the 82nd anniversary of D-Day. The operation, known as Operation Overlord, involved around 160,000 Allied troops landing on the Normandy beaches and was a crucial step in the liberation of Western Europe from N**i occupation.

In the UK, estimates suggest fewer than 8,000 British WWII veterans remain alive.

It is down to our generations to keep these memories alive to the coming generations.

Lest we forget 🌺

Do you have a loved one who served during the war in any capacity? Post a photo of them to honour their service and sacrifice. What touches me most is the image of the veteran on the beach remembering his friends and the sacrifice. What we don’t see is the hidden pain so many suffered in silence till the end.

We must not forget ❤️

16/05/2026

Today marks the anniversary that National service ended. 16 May 1963

The National Service Act came into force in January 1949, requiring all physically fit males between 18 and 30 to serve in the armed forces for 18 months, with a reserve liability for a further four years.

• 1948: The Act was passed; it came into force 1 January 1949.

• October 1950: Service was extended to two years due to British involvement in the Korean War.

• 1957: The phase-out began; call-ups ended on 31 December 1960; the last conscripted servicemen left in May 1963.

Scale & impact: Between 1947 and 1963, some 2,301,000 young men were conscripted into the British Armed Forces.

395 National Servicemen were killed between 1947 and 1963.

The last man: On 16 May 1963, Richard Vaughan became the last National Serviceman to be formally demobilised.

Do you know someone who served? tag them to remember.

Thank you for your service

Lest we forget x

12/05/2026

Thank you for your service xx

12/05/2026

Free gift when you pledge

11/05/2026

08/05/2026

🇬🇧 Happy VE Day! 81 Years of Peace & Freedom 🕊️

On this day, 8th May, we pause to remember one of the most important moments in modern history — Victory in Europe Day.
On 7th May 1945, Germany’s forces gave their unconditional surrender, and the following day — 8th May — was declared Victory in Europe Day. After nearly six years of war, the fighting in Europe was finally over.
People across the UK poured into the streets to celebrate the end of years of conflict, fear, and rationing. It was a day filled with joy, tears, and relief.
This year, 2026 marks the 81st anniversary of VE Day — a moment to reflect and be grateful. Every year that passes makes it all the more important that we keep the memory alive, as the number of surviving veterans grows ever smaller.
So today, let’s raise a cup of tea ☕, fly our flags 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧, and say a heartfelt THANK YOU to the Greatest Generation — those who gave everything so we could live in freedom.
We will remember them. 🌹

06/05/2026

WOW WOW
Our 2025 Poppy Appeal has raised an incredible £56.6 million, including £54.1 million raised by the Royal British Legion and £2.57 million raised by Poppyscotland.

This outstanding result means we can continue to provide life changing support to veterans, serving personnel and their families – whenever they need it.

From helping people through welfare challenges and providing urgent grants, to offering later life care, running recovery programmes and building vital community connections, this funding will make a real difference.

Whether you organised an event, ran a collection stall, donated, or helped spread the word, every effort truly mattered. Thank you for getting involved and supporting the Armed Forces community.

Well done Battle and surrounding villages for your support in this cause.

30/04/2026

Why the Poppy?

The poppy became the symbol of remembrance after World War I.

We wear poppies on Remembrance Day (November 11) to honour military personnel who died in the war, a tradition inspired by the resilient red flowers that grew on World War I battlefields. The poppy symbolises remembrance, sacrifice, and hope for a peaceful future, with funds raised supporting veterans and their families.

It represents sacrifice, hope, and the promise that we will remember all those who served.

When you wear a poppy, you are helping the Royal British Legion continue its vital work.

Key Reasons for Wearing Poppies:

>Symbol of Remembrance: The red poppy signifies the blood shed by soldiers in battlefields, particularly in Flanders, Belgium, where intense fighting took place.
>Historical Significance: The tradition stems from the 1915 poem "In Flanders Fields" by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, which described the flowers growing among soldiers' graves.
>Support for Veterans: First adopted as a symbol in 1921, the poppy appeal raises funds for veterans' associations, such as the Royal British Legion, to provide financial and practical help.
>Commemorating All Conflicts: While rooted in World War I, the poppy today represents all service personnel who have lost their lives in conflict or terrorism, from 1914 to the present.

Where your poppy with pride this November ###

In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae
In Flanders' fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.