By Isle of Wight Observer
The prestigious Standard Bearer’s Shield, presented by the IW’s Royal British Legion (RBL), has been awarded to Tristan Allen of Brighstone.
The announcement was made at the RBL’s Annual County Conference at East Cowes Town Hall, on Saturday, in front of more than 50 people, including representatives from each of the seven Island branches.
Guests included the Island’s Lord-Lieutenant, Susie Sheldon, RBL Patron, Major-General Sir Martin White and his wife, Fiona, Acting President, Vice Lord-Lieutenant Maurice Sheen, IW County Chairman, Andy Pound, The Rev Roger Whatley, from Newport, and conference committee chairman, Ernie Howard.
Tristan’s award is for his duties as Standard Bearer at Brighstone throughout the past year, which included representing the branch when France’s Freedom Flame arrived in Portsmouth last May, on its way to the USA as part of a thank-you tour to commemorate the Allied involvement in D-Day.
The flame, which normally resides on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, left its home for the first time in its 101-year history to mark the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings.
Runner-up was Andy Davey, of the Newport & Carisbrooke Branch, who also won the Gents Cup for the standard bearer who has done most for his branch over the last year.
Mrs Sheldon gave the welcoming speech and read the Loyal Greeting from The King, saying afterwards: “It was lovely to see the Island’s youth being represented by the standard bearers and hear about the hard work and fund-raising of the RBL here.”
East Cowes Mayor and IW Council Chairman, Karl Love, was one of the speakers along with Lucy Inskip, national director of the RBL Poppy Appeal, who spoke about the charity’s work, and Darren Claydon, operations manager of the IW Ambulance delivery service.
