Plymouth warship HMS Argyll welcomed the Royal British Legion charity bikers on board to present them with funds.
The Royal British Legion Riders Branch for Devon, Cornwall and Somerset, were handed £250 raised by the ship’s crew.
Among the 25 riders present was a member of the ship’s crew Petty Officer Dylan Roberts.
Lined up on the jetty in front of the warship, the group thanked the vessel’s captain Commander Tim Neild .
Cdr Neild said:
“This event is important to mark the sterling work the Royal British Legion and its rider’s branch do for the armed forces.
“We have strong links with the riders because through PO Roberts who is a leading light in the RBL.”
The group was formed in 2004 and while membership is dominated by ex and current HM Armed Forces personnel, it also welcomes potential members who support the aims of the Royal British Legion, namely of helping and assisting service people, ex-service people and their dependants.
Petty Officer Roberts, who rides with his wife as passenger Suzanne, said:
“We are very pleased to be here representing the branch in my ship and receive the donation, courtesy of the commanding officer.
“The money was raised through a Poppy Appeal on board while at sea, which shows in what high esteem the ship’s company hold the work done by the British Legion for the armed forces.”
Nationwide, members are regularly seen at many motorcycle events wearing the distinctive riders’ badge.
They have become synonymous with the repatriations of fallen service personnel at both Wootton Bassett (where they met for the repatriation of the bodies of fallen service personnel who were flown into RAF Lyneham and since 1 September 2011) and at Carterton, Oxfordshire where the fallen are flown into RAF Brize Norton.
It is a politically neutral organisation which the Weston Bike Nights in Weston-super-Mare, an annual rally, and is now running the annual RBLR 1000 Iron Butt Rally.
In 2009, 173 riders completed 1,000 miles in 24 hours and raised £10,000 for the Poppy Appeal.
The RBLR also organises Poppy runs to raise both awareness and money for the Poppy Appeal.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, December 20, 2012; Image: Royal Navy