Dunoon’s Royal British Legion branch is to close after 25 years.
Legion members took the decision to dissolve the branch following years of accusation and counter-accusation surrounding the branch.
In a nutshell, the problems have been over allegations – unsubstantiated by the accusers – of missing funds, occupancy of the Combined Services Hall, and disagreements with the Royal British Legion Scotland (RBLS) hierarchy after the branch was suspended in May 2007.

Local branch members are keen to point out that reports of missing funds which appeared in the press at the time have never been found to be true.

In a letter sent to the Glasgow and Western Counties Area Secretary and copied to the General Secretary of the RBLS, the RBLS National Chairman, The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and the Dunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard, Dunoon branch chairman, John Henderson writes: “...having waited three years to have a resolution to a suspension, which the Glasgow and West Area chairman has made no attempt to resolve, and without the advice and assistance of Edinburgh (RBLS headquarters), members felt that they could no longer serve under these conditions and have therefore voted to dissolve the branch with effect from March 17, 2010.”

Alex Jamieson, RBLS Dunoon branch secretary told the Standard: “The branch was suspended almost three years ago over allegations that we used charitable money through the legion account to purchase fixtures and fittings for the Combined Services Hall in Dunoon.
“Nobody ever came to us and checked through our books and records, which would have cleared the branch name.
“It was only after the press started asking questions when the 2008 Remembrance Day parade was in question that RBLS sent two people from Edinburgh to check the legal and financial situation. They seemed quite happy and as far as we knew, the branch was to be reinstated. But the Glasgow and Western Counties chairman seems to have disagreed with this, and the branch has remained suspended since.”

A spokesman for the Royal British Legion Scotland said: “This is a long, sad story. While it is a matter of regret to the legion to lose a branch, it is unfair to claim that the Glasgow and Western Counties chairman was responsible for over-ruling anything here and causing the branch to fold.”

Alex Jamieson has a different point of view. “It’s disgraceful, and there is no way it should have come to this. Nobody is listening to us, and nobody seems interested in the Dunoon branch,” he claimed.

Glasgow and Western Counties RBLS chairman, Andy Bryan from Millport, was unavailable for comment as we went to press.

The branch will close on Wednesday.

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