A solemn ceremony took place during choral evensong at Ely Cathedral on Saturday 25th February as a new Standard for the City of Ely branch of the Royal British Legion was dedicated and named in honour of a 21-year-old soldier who gave his life for his country during the Second World War.
Private John Unwin served with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment and died on 28th September 1944 in Italy where he is buried in Faenze War Cemetery.
The congregation, which included the Mayor of Ely, Cllr Richard Morgan, Cambridgeshire County RBL President Col (Ret’d) R. Herriot and Chairman Mr Alan Scott and invited guests from other Cambridgeshire branches of the Legion as well as many members of the Ely branch, watched the laying up of the old Standard and the dedication of the Unwin Standard. Other RBL branch standards were also in attendance.
A donation towards the purchase of the new standard had been made by the late Councillor Mike Rouse, a cousin of Pte Unwin, who was especially supportive of the Legion’s City of Ely branch and chose the Royal British Legion as his charity during one of his terms as Ely’s Mayor.
Mike’s daughter Cassie and son Lee, representing the family, flanked the branch’s Chairman, David Martin, as he handed the Unwin Standard to the branch Standard Bearer, Tom Brown, for the act of dedication by the Dean, the Very Rev Mark Bonney.
Lessons were read by Dr Ian Lindsay, branch president and by vice-president Neil Grimston.
Press release from City of Ely Branch of the Royal British Legion
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