Powys Army veteran hits out at Royal British Legion ban

David Rawsthorne was vice chairman of the spa town branch from December 2021 up until May of this year, before he and others resigned.

He was then banned from the branch and its activities for a year, with the committee citing social media posts they said brought the club into "disrepute".

Mr Rawsthorne, a decorated veteran who served more than 27 years in the British Army, was credited with raising the profile of the club online and among younger people, and during his tenure helped put on events, support veterans with their mental health and physical issues such as housing, and raised money for roof repairs.

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“I’m one of the only veterans that is a member of the Royal British Legion club and they have suspended me,” said Mr Rawsthorne.

“After everything I have done for that club, I feel betrayed and absolutely disgusted.

“The club was in the gutter when I came on board. They asked me to come in and help, then I took over as vice chairman after a year.

“I took over Facebook and took the page from 120 followers to over 1,000. The stigma has changed around the RBL because people thought you had to be ex-military to join, when you don’t.

“I established a veteran’s coffee morning and even raised £6,000 for the club, to fix the roof of the building.”

Mr Rawsthorne said things started turning sour following his resignation at the end of May.

He was informed via letter on July 18 that he was suspended with immediate effect, a decision that was ratified at a committee meeting on August 6.

David during his Army days. He served for 27 years. “Four other committee members quit, as well as me,” he said.

“Since then I’ve been banned from going to a veteran’s coffee morning which I established and have been running.

“As a veteran with 27 years in the Army, this has really affected me. I wanted to open up the club as a warm hub for older and vulnerable people during Covid and the club put a stop to it.

“I’ve had loads of messages of support from RBL members. They are also fuming with the committee.”

Mr Rawsthorne joined the Army in 1991, straight from school, and retired in 2017, having attained the rank of warrant officer.  

He served in Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Africa and Canada, as well as Ukraine, Germany, Bosnia, Cyprus and America.

He received commendations for his time in Northern Ireland, as well as a Commander of the British Forces Cyprus commendation.

He received a NATO Meritorious Medal, awarded by the NATO secretary general, for his actions in Afghanistan. He was the first of two British soldiers ever to receive one at the time.

David received commendations for his time in Northern Ireland, as well as a NATO Meritorious Medal, awarded by the NATO secretary general, for his actions in Afghanistan.An initial letter from the Llandrindod branch sent to Mr Rawsthorne around July stated that he was being reprimanded for social media posts that brought the club into “disrepute”.

The letter states: “Rule 22 of the disciplinary powers of the committee state the committee shall have power to reprimand, suspend or expel any member who shall infringe any rule, or whose conduct, whether within or without the club premises shall bring the name of the club into discredit and render the member unfit for membership of the club.”

Following the August 6 committee meeting, he received another letter, which said: “The decision of the committee is that rule 22 has been contravened and that a club membership ban is issued.

“This ban will be for 12 months and then this will be reviewed by said committee.”

The branch failed to respond to a request for comment from the County Times.