2020
Barbara Windsor RIP. Picture from RMA website.
See https://www.facebook.com/Royal-British-Legion-Downs-Branch-553666901369172/
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Royal Marines Book
Some months ago your committee agreed, at a Zoom meeting, to purchase a copy of the book for the branch, this has now been delivered and suitably inscribed by our President John Elms in his beautiful script.
The book is available for short term loan to any member of the branch, please apply to Edward @ edwarddeal@hotmail.co.uk
John very generously presented one of his pictures to Bill Butler in thanks for all Bill’s work in getting the book published.
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RBL Downs Benches
The Downs Branch donated a pair of timber benches for the benefit of people attending Remembrance Services at the Cross Of Sacrifice and for visitors to Hamilton Road Cemetery in general, regrettably these have been vandalised we assume by mindless thugs who have no respect for anything and worst of all no respect for themselves.
The damage is in the process of being repaired so they are now safe to use.
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VE Day We remember all the many thousands of service men and women and civilians who made this day possible for us.
THANK YOU!
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Ex WRACS Wanted!
Mary-Ann wants to hear from you by email on maryannclark7600@yahoo.com if you were a WRAC or you know someone who was, why not send her a message to find out why?
Nothing ventured nothing gained!
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Electric buggy FREE to a genuine need, it only a new battery otherwise it is in first class condition! Edward 07885110384 
PLEASE contact Edward on 07885110384 first.
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2019
Dear members I hope you have all enjoyed a Happy Christmas, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy and Healthy 2020!
Edward
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Can you spare a Christmas Card?
Great idea pass it on!
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A lady living in Walmer would like someone to sit with her bed ridden Ex Royal Marine husband for approx 2hrs on a Wednesday while she goes shopping, if you or someone you know can help then please contact Edward Barkway edwarddeal@hotmail.co.uk OR 07885110384 for further info.
Thank You
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I have just received this information forwarded by Stephen Shaw Merchant Navy
101 Year Old Ex Middlesbrough British Expeditionary Force (BEF) Veteran Seeks Support For His Petition to Parliament: Honour the BEF’s role in France in 1939/1940 Please click the link to sign the petition!
No medal was ever struck to honour the BEF’s considerable service in France in 1939/40 – all they were permitted was to add their service in France to other War service towards the eventual award of the over-arching 1939-45 War Star. Those who served in France between 6th June 1944 and 8th May 1945 are also entitled to the award of our France and Germany Star, as well as being given the Legion d’Honneur by the French. I wrote to President Macron, in my best French! suggesting that since we rescued at Dunkirk the nucleus (140,000+) of what was to form the later Free French Army, which de Gaulle led triumphantly into Paris in 1944, he ought to extend the award of the Legion d’Honneur to the few remaining members of the BEF – that letter was over 18 months ago and I am still sitting on a ‘holding reply’ from one of his officials! Maybe we’ll need a second petition if the MoD cannot be persuaded to supply a new clasp to the 1939-45 War Star for the BEF and we may then need to put forward the case simply to extend eligibility for the already available France and Germany Star to all those who served in France at any stage of WW2.I do hope that you will feel that this is a cause to which you can lend your consideration and I hope, also, your support with your signatures via the link below.Kind regards,
Trevor Powell (Lt Col Retd