Tributes paid to Sheffield's own ‘Mr Royal British Legion’ after death aged 82

Bryan Green had served with The Royal Corps of Signals in younger life and was a member of the Sheffield Royal Signals Association.

He joined the Royal British Legion in 1963 at a time when the Poppy Appeal was held on one day, the Saturday before Remembrance Sunday.

As a poppy seller, Bryan would walk The Moor selling the artifical flowers and helped to collect thousands of pounds worth of donations for the armed forces charity.

But his association with the RBL was not restricted to selling poppies as he would regularly attend parades at the Cenotaph, in Barkers Pool, and even represented the legion at the Annual Service of Remembrance at Woodhouse War Memorial.

Bryan was also an active member of Frecheville Branch of the RBL, even serving as chairman of what is the largest branch in the city partly due to his hard work in promoting it.

Aside from this, the former serviceman held a voluntary welfare officer role for the Sheffield Group (of Branches) of the RBL.

He took this position very seriously, visiting people who needed help from the British Legion – either in hospital or at home - and phoning those who were housebound.

Another of his roles included chairman of the Sheffield RBL Group during which he presented the first poppy to be sold in Sheffield to the Lord Mayor and also held a wreath laying service in Barkers Pool at 11am on November 11 each year.

Latterly, he represented the city's Legion Members on the Council of South and West Yorkshire Royal British Legion and was vice-chairman of that organisation.

A father-of-three and a grandfather, Bryan passed away suddenly at his Gleadless home on December 7, aged 82.

Pat Davey, chairman Sheffield and District Joint Council of Ex-Service Associations, and, chairman Frecheville RBL Branch, described Bryan as ‘Mr Royal British Legion’.

She added: “Bryan will be very sadly missed by a large number of people - particularly British Legion members in Sheffield and Yorkshire and many ex-service personnel.”

A funeral will be held on January 6. Any donations in Bryan’s memory will go to The Royal British Legion or the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation.

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