In 2008 a project was started to build/refurbish a steam engine "The Unkown Warrior" , in 2009 a meeting was held with Royal British Legion Director of Corporate Communications who told them " the Legion could not support the Project financially, but endorsed our aims and said that we could use the Legion crest."
In June 2016, Simon Weston, CBE, the Falklands War Veteran, became the first Patron of the LMS-Patriot Project.
So far so good.
Forward to 2017 , the Head of the Legion’s Board of Trustees, wrote to say that they had been unaware of the decisions taken in 2009 by the then Director of Corporate Communications and that he was not authorised to make them without consulting his Board and had not made the Board aware of what he had done. He asked that they no longer claim the Legion’s endorsement and stop using the crest.
The nameplate for the train and any merchandising material (badges etc) had to be removed and could not be sold. A new nameplate and crest/badge were produced.
I have managed to get a hold of both the old and new badges (and a magnet) and think the original one was much more appropriate to use.
I personally feel this is yet another case of The Royal British Legion cutting of its nose to spite its face , getting rid of fakes/counterfeit items is great but punishing worthwhile causes is stupid.
Rant over
