SSAFA West Yorkshire

27/09/2026

Sadly, the Battle of Arnhem was deemed to be a failure. Of the 10,000 troops dropped at Arnhem, 1,500 were killed and a further 6,000 captured or left behind. This effectively destroyed the Britidh 1st Airborne Division.

27/09/2026

COMMEMORATING THE BATTLE OF ARNHEM in September 1944, a hard-fought engagement immortilised by the 1977 film "A Bridge Too Far".

Five Victoria Crosses were awarded

A bridge too far. The vital bridge at is pictured in this German photo after the British paratroops had been driven back.

The Battle of Arnhem was a major battle fought from 17 to 25 September 1944, as part of Operation Market Garden.

British and Polish airborne forces tried to capture and hold the vital road bridge over the Lower Rhine River in Arnhem to open a path into Germany, but the main Allied ground force (### Corps) failed to reach the bridge in time to relieve them.

Lieutenant Colonel John Frost and a small group of about 700 men reached the northern end of the Arnhem bridge and held out for four days under intense fire before being overrun.

The operation was a costly failure and of the 10,000 men who dropped into Arnhem, just over 2,000 managed to retreat or evacuate across the Rhine by 25 September - more than 1,100 British soldiers were killed and others taken prisoner.

23/09/2026

We are pleased to share that SSAFA has been awarded £5,000 from One Community Foundation through their Crisis and Resilience Fund. This funding will help us continue delivering vital casework support to the Armed Forces community in Kirklees, strengthening local referral pathways, raising awareness of available services, and ensuring people can access help when they need it most.

We are grateful to One Community Foundation and Kirklees Council for supporting this important work.

13/09/2026

For the Sikh Community, 12th September is SARAGARHI DAY, celebrated each year in Kirklees with a Commemoration Ceremony held at the Sikh Soldier Memorial, located in Greenhead Park, Huddersfield.

The Battle of Saragarhi took place on 12th September 1897 on the North-West Frontier (now Pakistan), at a signalling post defended by just 21 soldiers of the 36th Sikh Regiment. Their position was attacked by a force estimated to be between 10,000 and 14,000 local tribesmen, yet the Sikh soldiers refused to surrender, and despite the overwhelming numbers facing them, managed to defend their position for nearly 8 hours, buying precious time for other Sikh forces to mobilise and prepare defences. The result was, however, inevitable, with all 21 soldiers being killed.

The action stands as an outstanding example of valour and sacrifice of those who perished.

The ceremony was organised by the Sikh Soldier Organisation (SSO), with three Deputy Lieutenants in attendance: Kevin Sharp LVO DL, Sofia Buncy MBE DL and Tim Bhullar DL (Chair SSO) (Pictured with Lord Mayor). Other guests included Cllr Karen Allison, Lord Mayor of Kirklees and Rev Canon Rachel Firth, Vicar of Huddersfield.

SSAFA was represented by the branch chair, along with Marion Rennie, Branch Support Coordinator. Instead of laying a wreath, orange and white flowers were laid, colours which have cultural significance to the Sikh community, particularly orange, which signifies courage, sacrifice and valour.

06/09/2026

STRUGGLING WITH DWP BENEFITS?

As a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to supporting all Armed Forces personnel, which includes veterans with their benefit claims.

It is worth remembering that each Jobcentre Plus has a specialist staff member to ensure that service leavers, veterans and military families receive tailored support with benefits, transitioning to civilian life and finding work.

For further information visit the GOV.UK https://share.google/Nb4xAFtpvwXRMLPUj.

Alternatively, if you live in the Yorkshire and Humberside region, scan the QR code to initiate an email. If you have problems reading this QR code, the underlying email address to use is [email protected]

30/08/2026

SSAFA reflects on the 5th anniversary of UK Armed Forces leaving Afghanistan.

28 August 2026, marks five years since UK Armed Forces personnel finally left after 20 years of continuous deployment.

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity remembers all who served, and we honour with particular gratitude those who did not return, those who were wounded in body or mind, and the families whose lives were changed forever by that service.

For many veterans and families, Afghanistan, whether through Op VERITAS, HERRICK, TORAL, or PITTING, is not simply a matter of history. It remains a deeply personal chapter - demanding, complex and, for some, profoundly painful.

That is why today's anniversary should be marked not only with remembrance, but also with reflection and respect.

Those who served in Afghanistan were asked to operate in exceptionally difficult circumstances, and they did so with courage, professionalism and resolve.

Anniversaries such as this are about more than looking back. They are about recognising service, acknowledging sacrifice, and reaffirming our duty to those who live with the consequences long after the operation ends.

At SSAFA, we see that legacy each day. We see the quiet resilience of veterans. We see the strength of our families who carried the burden of service during deployment and after homecoming. We see, too, the enduring bond that connects all who were part of that campaign.

August 2021 closed a significant chapter in recent British military history, but for many who served, and for those who loved them, its impact did not end there.

For some, the legacy of Afghanistan is one of pride in duty carried out under immense pressure. For others, it is marked by injury, bereavement or the long road of transition to civilian life.

Our message at SSAFA is clear: we remember that service, we honour that sacrifice, and we will continue to stand beside serving personnel, veterans and their families for as long as support is needed.

[Photo credit: Corporal Andrew Morris (RAF)/UK Ministry of Defence 2014, OGL v1.0OGL v1.0.]

27/08/2026

Last month, the Government published its annual REVIEW OF SERVICE PENSIONS, entitled “Armed Forces Pension Scheme annual accounts 2025 to 2026”, a 79-page document available by download from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/armed-forces-pension-scheme-annual-accounts-2025-to-2026

Included in this report is a statement that (as at 31 March 2026) there’s £17,018,000 of unclaimed pensions, representing an increase of 12.6% over the previous year. It’s important to note that pensions are not paid automatically, which means contacting Veterans UK on 0808-1914218.

This is a complex area, rules governing eligibility have changed over time, but in general terms the following apply:
- For those leaving Service between April 1975 and 1978, applicants must have reached the age of 26, and completed 5 years of reckonable service (the actual years and days that count towards pension).
- For those leaving Service between April 1983 and 1988, applicants must have enlisted after 5th April 1978 and completed 5 years of reckonable service
- For those leaving Service before 6th April 1988, applicants need to have completed 5 years of reckonable service.
- For those leaving Service after 6th April 1988, applicants must have completed 2 years of reckonable service

Other considerations:
- A “Deferred Pension” may be available for applicants leaving the Armed Forces, for those not completing the required years to receive an immediate pension. Deferred Pensions are payable on achieving pension benefit age, whether aged 60 for Service before 6th April 2006, or aged 65 for Service after 6th April 2006.
- Since July 2006, Service personnel completing at least 3 months’ service but less than 2 years’ service are referred to as “Early Leavers” and are entitled to either (a) a cash transfer sum to another pension scheme or (b) a refund of their employee contributions.

The fact that there’s a high level of unclaimed benefits suggests that ex-Service personnel are not aware of the guidance set out above or that, perhaps, the MOD has lost contact through moving house. If you feel that you have entitlement to a service pension, then contact Veterans UK.

Recently, when preparing an application for support, the SSAFA caseworker challenged the lack of a service pension, with the beneficiary believing that entitlement would be delayed until reaching the State retirement age of (in his case) 67. Wrong, and a claim is currently being processed for a deferred pension.

Further guidance may be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pensions-and-compensation-for-veterans

22/08/2026

SSAFA has received a £222,360 grant from the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF), the Army’s national charity, to help fund the delivery of its casework services.

SSAFA undertakes casework support, delivered face-to-face or remotely, for all armed forces personnel, whether serving or veteran, along with their families.

The ABF was founded in August 1944, and its long-standing partnership with SSAFA began with its first grant to SSAFA in 1945. In the last five years, the ABF has provided more than £1 million of funding specifically towards SSAFA’s casework service, alongside separate grant funding on behalf of the Army’s charities through Mosaic, the military charity’s computerised case management system.

This ABF funding is targeted at the operating costs of SSAFA’s vital casework service, carried out by trained volunteer caseworkers across the UK, and overseas.

Image courtesy ABF

21/08/2026

52-CAR CONVOY FROM DUNKIRK TO SARAJEVO RAISES £112,000 FOR SSAFA.

07/08/2026

CELEBRATING THE 80th ANNIVERSARY OF No1 DRESS UNIFORM, with an image reproduced from “The War Illustrated” in August 1946. The image was taken in the grounds of Buckingham Place, when the new uniform was demonstrated to HM King George VI, on 25th June 1946.

There are earlier variants dating back to the 1845, to replace the earlier "undress" uniform, though it first appeared in its current form the 1937 Coronation. It was later worn by Army units participating in the 1953 Coronation.

Whilst no longer worn for everyday duties, No 1 Dress remains an important part of military ceremonies, parades, official events and service weddings.