BILL Sample’s appeal for information about the history of the Basingstoke and Overton branch of the Royal British Legion in the Memories on Monday of June 13 has produced an interesting response from reader Andrew Hughes.

Andrew popped into The Gazette office with some of his father’s records, which had been found by his mother, Dusty Hughes.

The late Major Robert Hughes, was chairman of the Royal British Legion in 1971 when the British Legion, as it was then called, was celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Major Hughes, who served in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and who was mentioned in dispatches for his bravery during Dunkirk, kept some immaculate records of photographs, programmes and newspaper cuttings of the golden jubilee.

Back in May 1971, the Basingstoke branch of the British Legion certainly went out of its way to mark the occasion in style. It staged a week of events, running from May 8 to May 16, and was the only branch in Hampshire to organise such an ambitious programme of activities.

One event which particularly stands out was a special charity match held at the Camrose on Sunday, May 16.

Among the celebrities who played for The Showbiz XI against Basingstoke FC were singers Tommy Steele, and Kenny Lynch, TV actor Denis Waterman, radio DJ David Hamilton, Play Away and Play School presenter Brian Cant and heavyweight wrestler Tibor Szakacs.

Others included Kenneth Cope who, at the time, was starring in the hit TV drama Randall and Hopkirk Deceased and Ray and Dave Davies from the band, The Kinks.

A crowd of more than 1,000 watched “what was loosely described as a football match.” The result was subject to some dispute, but a report in The Gazette said: “in fairness, Basingstoke with keeper Wilkie as the centre-forward, were the factual winners.”

On a more solemn note, there was a parade and afternoon service at St Michael’s Church in the centre of Basingstoke, on May 9. The church was specially decorated for the occasion by the North Hants Floral Arrangement Society.

Thirty-one standard bearers, coming from from Basingstoke, Bramley, Herriard, Sherborne St John, Old Basing, Rotherwick, Preston Candover and Lasham, among other places, lined the three aisles of the church for the Rededication to Legion service.

The Rector Rev Simon Ridley said, in his address, that war and the aftermath of war had prompted the creation of the British Legion.

He also spoke of the great industrialisation of the 20th century which built up tensions, and said these were still with us and that, all through the ages, there had been a destructive instinct in man.

Rather optimistically, he said there were signs that “this nation is coming to its senses for which we have reason to be thankful.”

The parade was headed by The Hampshire and Dorset Band of The Wessex Volunteers. Among them was Lance Corporal Albert Featherstone, from Waverley Avenue, Basingstoke, who also played for the Basingstoke Symphony Orchestra.

The territorial band returned to Basingstoke several days later to perform an evening concert of stirring music at the Shrubbery Girls’ School.

Other events held to mark the golden jubilee included an archery tournament held at Old Basing Recreational Ground.

There was also a darts competition held at the Thornycroft Club House, where 32 teams competed for a silver tankard.

Major Hughes also kept a record of a young Australian school teacher called Christine Francis, who, while on a whistle-stop tour of America, Japan and UK, found time to visit Basingstoke.

She was the winner of the Girl in a Million contest held in 1970, which was organised by the Returned Services League in the State of Queensland.

She was invited by Major Hughes, and with him, and other British Legion members, they visited Basingstoke’s then new shopping centre, its hospital and sports centre.

She also laid a wreath at the War Memorial after having tea with the Mayor, Councillor Roger Morris.

When asked what he thought of Christine, he was reported to have said: “An extremely charming, well poised and beautiful girl. She is, most definitely, a girl in a million.”

While in town, Christine had a tour around The Hants and Berks Gazette, the forerunner of The Gazette and, finally went to the Ex-Services Club, which is the base of the Basingstoke and Overton branch of The Royal British Legion.

Christine certainly proved to be an exceptional woman – aged 23 she returned to the UK and joined the contemplative Cistercian Order, as a nun in Wimborne, Dorset.