Former RAF serviceman Stuart Allen has been named as the new Ashby Royal British Legion Branch President.

Branch Chairman, Dan Harrison, with the 80th anniversary of VE Day coming up next month, announced the election of a new President this week.

Edwin Stuart Allen - known as Stuart - has over 33 years' membership of the Legion holding several high-ranking posts.

Stuart is also a 'war baby' being born during World War II, at the home of his Grandmother in Keighley, Yorkshire.

Dan said that Stuart was educated at what was known then as Ashby Boys Grammar School and has a rich passionate background of service to the country and Commonwealth, having seen service in the RAF for 23 years.

This saw Stuart in postings including Germany and the Persian Gulf - with detachments to Cyprus and Malta.

Significantly, he visited the USA and Canada where he flew in the legendary Vulcan, a high altitude strategic bomber known as the 'V Bomber' - the UK's airborne nuclear deterrent during the Cold War.

Dan added that Stuart was an armourer, later known as weapons technician, and latterly became the last Chief Weapons Instructor at the Vulcan Servicing School. Stuart retired as a Class A.